Fig. 6
BMDCs decrease the number of reactive microglia in the MPTP model. GM-CSF-generated BMDCs were cultured for 3 days in media alone, harvested, and 1.5 × 106 in 0.25 mls were transferred i.v. at one and two weeks prior to intoxication with four 16 mg/kg doses of MPTP. Mice treated with PBS or MPTP alone served as controls. Two days after MPTP intoxication, mice were sacrificed, brains removed, frozen, and cryosectioned at 30 μm/section through the midbrain containing the substantia nigra. Sections were stained for Mac-1 expression by microglia. Scale bar for the larger image is 200 μm and the scale bar in the inset is 20 μm. Densities of reactive microglia (ameboid morphology and increased expression of Mac-1) per area were estimated from 4 to 6 sections/animal by stereological analysis of the substantia nigra for mice treated with PBS (n = 5), MPTP (n = 5), or BMDCs and MPTP (n = 5). Mean densities ± SEM were compared by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test whereby p ≤ 0.05 compared to mice treated with aPBS or bMPTP