Figure 4

Macrophages. (A-C) The areas marked with asterisk (*) are shown with a higher magnification (×420). Black arrows indicate macrophages. (A) At day 3 macrophages are present in the epineurium (EP) of distal 1 area (×210). A few ED-1 positive cells are also seen in the endoneurium (EN). (B) In distal 1 area at day 14 there are numerous macrophages in the endoneurium (×210). (C) Some macrophages are still present in both epi- and endoneurium in the proximal 2 area at 35 days (× 210). (D-F) Longitudinal sections studied by confocal microscope. Macrophages are visualized with red color, endoneurial vessels with green, and yellow color indicates macrophages inside blood vessels. White arrows indicate the epineurial area. The pictures are focused to the endoneurial level in the middle. (D) At day 14 several macrophages can be observed in the epineurial and endoneurial area of proximal 2 area (× 120). (E) At day 35 several macrophages are still present in the epineurium of proximal 2 area, but start to decrease in the endoneurium (× 120). (F) Control from sciatic nerve (non-operated control animal) (× 120).