Fig. 3
From: Modulating the catalytic activity of AMPK has neuroprotective effects against α-synuclein toxicity
AMPKα2 overexpression improves mitochondrial morphology in nigral neurons. a Representative TEM pictures of neurons in the SNpc, co-injected either with non-coding (‘control’) and α-syn vectors, or with AMPKα2 and α-syn vectors. Neurons in the non-injected hemisphere are also shown for comparison. Animals are analyzed at 1 month after vector injection. Mitochondrial network is marked in red. Scale bar: 2 μm. b Representative pictures of nigral neurons from the same three conditions, with high-magnification insets showing mitochondrial morphology. Note the abnormal mitochondrial morphology in neurons from the SNpc injected with the AAV-α-syn vector, with concentric cristae. c Mitochondrial density, expressed as the number of mitochondria per cytosol μm2. d Mitochondrial size. Note the statistically significant increase in mitochondrial size in neurons co-expressing AMPKα2 and α-syn, as compared to other conditions. e Mitochondrial mass expressed as the percentage of cytosolic surface area occupied by mitochondria. Note the significant increase in the mitochondrial mass in neurons co-expressing AMPKα2 and α-syn. Statistical analysis: one-way ANOVA with Newman-Keuls post hoc test; non-injected: n = 23 neurons, with total number of 1504 mitochondria; α-syn + non-coding: n = 26 neurons, with total number of 1962 mitochondria; α-syn + AMPKα2: n = 23 neurons, with total number of 1974 mitochondria. For each condition, nigral neurons were analyzed in samples obtained from two separate animals; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001