Fig. 4.

Phagocytic clearance of α-syn by cultured astrocytes. (A) General phagocytic activity determined using fluorescent latex beads (F-13081). Cultured astrocytes (Ctx-NSCs as control) were incubated with the latex beads for 24 h and washed followed by quantifying percent cells engulfing the beads. (B) Activity to phagocytose α-syn determined by incubating with α-syn PFF labeled with pHrodo, a pH-sensitive fluorescent dye. (C) Phagocytic clearance of α-syn. Cultured astrocytes were incubated with Alexa 488-labeled α-syn-PFF for 24 h. Percent cells containing Alexa 488-α-syn was chased for 7 d after withdrawal of the fluorescence-labeled α-syn-PFF. Significant differences from Ctx-NSC at ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01, and ^###P < 0.001 and from Ctx-Ast at *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, and ***P < 0.001, n = 3 to 10, one-way ANOVA. (Scale bars: 25 μm.)