Fig. 3

Photoreceptor alterations in different strains of young and aged mice. Retinal sections from young (3-5 m) and aged (10-12 m) Socs3^fl/fl, LysMCre-Socs3^fl/fl, Cx3cr1^gfp/gfp and DKO mice were stained with DAPI (a) or cone arrestin (c, f) and imaged by Dmi8 fluorescence microscopy. a Representative images showing DAPI stained of retinal sections from different groups of mice. b Quantitative analysis of DAPI⁺ cells in ONL in different groups of mice. c Representative images of cone arrestin⁺ cells in retinal sections in different groups of mice. d Quantitative analysis of cone arrestin⁺ cells in different groups of mice. e The number of rod cells in different groups calculated by deduction of cone arrestin⁺ cells from the total number of cells (DAPI⁺ cells) in the ONL. f High magnification images showing inner and outer segments of cone arrestin⁺ cells in different groups of mice. g Quantification of the length of cone photoreceptor segments. Mean ± SD; N = 3 ~ 6 mice. * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, Two-way ANOVA followed by Sidak’s multiple comparisons. Scale bar: 50 μm (a, c) or 20 μm (f). GCL – ganglion cell layer; IPL – inner plexiform layer; INL – inner nuclear layer; OPL – outer plexiform layer; ONL – outer nuclear layer