Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Mar 19.
Published in final edited form as: J Neurosci. 2012 Sep 19;32(38):13206–13220. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5041-11.2012

Figure 11. Schwann cell density and protein expression after regulated NT-3 delivery.

Figure 11

(A) Numerous S100-labeled Schwann cells are found within grafts after 4 weeks of NT-3 expression. A similar density of Schwann cells is detected after (B) an additional 6 weeks of doxycycline administration to turn NT-3 expression off. In animals with (C) 10 weeks of continuous NT-3 expression, Schwann cell density appears to further increase, whereas very few Schwann cells are found in the graft of animals with (D) transient GFP expression. (E) Quantification of Schwann cell density indicates no significant (NS, p = 0.16) difference between animals with NT-3 expression turned on for 4 weeks (NT-3/−Dox, 4 wks) and animals with transient NT-3 expression (NT-3/−Dox, 4 wks, +Dox, 6 wks). Continuous NT-3 expression for 10 weeks (NT-3/−Dox, 10 wks) results in a slight increase in Schwann cell density compared to animals with 4 weeks of NT-3 expression (p < 0.05). Scale bar: 100 μm (*p < 0.05, ***p < 0.0001, NS p > 0.05; ANOVA followed by Fisher’s post hoc test). (F) Western blot of Schwann cells cultivated with or without NT-3 for 5 days. Levels of L1 are significantly upregulated (unpaired t-test, p<0.05) by NT-3 (10 ng/ml). Laminin protein levels are also higher in the presence of NT-3 but differences did not reach significance. (G) Graph shows levels of L1 and laminin relative to β-actin levels in the presence and absence of NT-3.