Fig. 5.

Dopaminergic neurorepair upon MPTP injury is directed by glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP⁺) astrocytes. A reconstruction of representative confocal images of midbrain coronal sections at the SNpc level, stained with tyrosine hydroxylase positive neurons (TH⁺, in green) and GFAP (in red) from MPTP-treated mice, 65 days post injury is shown. Note the robust TH neurorepair, as revealed by fluorescence immunohistochemistry. Within the rescued SNpc, bright TH⁺ neurons extending long processes can be observed running together with bright reactive GFAP⁺ astrocytes, coursing intermingled with TH⁺ neurons (boxed magnification) and seemingly guiding the dopaminergic neurorestorative process. VTA: ventral tegmental area. Scale bar:100 μm.