Fig. 6

PINK1 deficiency alters GFAP expression in the cortex and midbrain of 8-day-old mice. Coronal sections were obtained from 8-day-old WT and PINK1 KO mice, stained with GFAP antibodies, and visualized with peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibodies. a Positions of sections presented in (b-e) are indicated. b, c In the cortex, the pia mater was strongly stained with anti-GFAP antibodies in both WT and KO sections (arrowheads in b1 and c1, respectively). The GFAP-positive processes underneath the pia mater were thinner in WT samples (arrows in b1) than in KO samples (arrows in c1). The region where the dorsal horn (dh) of the lateral ventricle connected to the corpus callosum (CC) was strongly immunoreactive for GFAP in WT sections but not in KO sections (arrows in b2 and c2, respectively). d, e The SN in the midbrain of WT mice was less compactly filled with GFAP positive processes in KO sections compared with WT sections (arrows in d and e, respectively). Images were captured by a microscope (Zeiss). f Images were analyzed using Image J. Scale bar, 1 mm (upper panel in b-e), 100 μm (middle and lower panel in b-e). g Brain lysates were prepared from each region (cortex, CC: corpus callosum, SN: substantia nigra) shown in the above panel, and GFAP levels were analyzed with western blot. Each number indicates different animal (left panel). Band intensities were measured and plotted (right panel). The data shown are representative of at least three different animals. Values in (f and g) are means ± SEM of four samples. (*, P < 0.01; **, P < 0.01)