Fig. 4

Contact areas of ganglionic macrophages to primary sensory neurons are expanded after nerve injury. ATF3 (green)-, Iba1 (red)-, and PGP9.5 (blue)-positive cells in ipsilateral (ipsi) sides of the maxillary nerve region of the trigeminal ganglion on days 1 and 7 after infraorbital nerve ligation (a) and a percentage of contact-like structures (CLS) between ATF3-positive or negative neurons and Iba1-positive cells (n = 4 or 5/group) (b). Multiple staining (c) and Z-stack images (d) showing Iba1-positive cells (green), Nissl-positive neurons (blue), and glutamine synthetase (GS)-positive satellite glial cells (red) in the contralateral (contra) and ipsilateral sides on day 7 after nerve ligation. White arrowhead indicates the contact sites between Iba1-positive cells and neurons. Three-dimensional images showing contact area of Iba1-positive cells and Nissl-positive neurons (e). Blue indicates the surface of Nissl-positive neurons, and yellow indicates the surface of Nissl-positive neurons with Iba1-positive cells in contact. Surface area of Iba1-positive or GS-positive satellite glial cells in contact with individual Nissl-positive neurons (f) and a percentage of these areas averaged together (averaging 10 cells/ipsi from 3 mice) (g) on day 7 after nerve ligation. Electron micrograph showing macrophages with electron-dense lipid bodies (asterisk) and lysosomes (arrow) in contact (black arrowhead) with neurons (h). “N” indicates the nucleus. See list of abbreviations. Scale bars are indicated