Fig. 4

Activation of microglia by system LPS, attenuated by minocycline. a Resting microglia with thin somata and delicate pseudopodia were observed in the CC of the saline group as shown in the inset. b Majority of Iba-1-positive microglia in LPS-treated CC were hyper-ramified with hypertrophic somata or showing amoeba-like morphology as viewed in the inset. c Hypertrophic somata and/or pseudopodia were also viewed in the minocycline co-injected group (see the inset); whereas, amoeba-like microglia was almost vanished. d Statistical processing of proportional area data displays that system LPS has highly significantly expanded proportional area (N = 3 in both saline and LPS groups; p < 0.01, shown as **), while minocycline significantly reversed proportional area values compared to that in the LPS group (N = 6 in LPS + minocycline cases; p < 0.05, shown as *). Scale bars in a–c are 50 μm