FIGURE 1.

Differences of astrocytes in different extent of injury. (A) Astrocytes in the resting state. Not all astrocytes express detectable levels of GFAP (Two cells in the middle of A). There are clear and definite boundaries between cells. Little or no proliferation. (B) Most astrocytes express detectable levels of GFAP when the injury occurs. The astrocyte soma swells and proliferation begins to appear (The cells with red nuclei represent proliferating astrocytes). (C) Swollen astrocytes start proliferating massively. The boundaries between cells are destroyed.