FIGURE 3.

Progression of developmental apoptosis and macrophage recruitment is not affected by genetic deletion of CX3CR1. (A–D′) Sensory epithelium of the developing cochlea of CX3CR1-null mice. The patterns of cell death (white arrows, cleaved caspase-3) and macrophage recruitment (magenta arrows, GFP) are similar to those observed in CX3CR1^GFP/+ mice (e.g., Figure 1). (E) Total number of pyknotic nuclei in the GER region of CX3CR1-null mice vs CX3CR1^GFP/+ mice. (F) Number of macrophages in the GER region of the developing cochlea of CX3CR1-null mice vs. CX3CR1^GFP/+ mice. Images in (A–D), (F–G) were taken using a ×20 objective lens. Labels (A–D′) Red-cleaved caspase 3, Green-GFP + macrophages, Blue-DAPI. White arrow-cleaved caspase-3-labeled cells, and magenta arrows-GFP + macrophages. Abbreviations: OC: organ of Corti, GER: Greater Epithelial Ridge, ns: not significant. (N = 3–6).