Distribution of ApoE-expressing microglia during phagocytosis shown by WISH.

<p>Activated microglia were identified as ApoE-expressing cells by WISH in nonirradiated control embryos (A), irradiated embryos at 24 h after irradiation (E), and at 42 h after irradiation (J). Frontal plastic sections including the eyes and the OT at the ‘a’ and ‘b’ levels of the brain in A, E, and J are shown in B, F, and K, and C, G, and L, respectively. A few ApoE-expressing cells were present in the retina of wt nonirradiated embryos (arrowhead in C), in the TE (arrowheads in B), and the OT (arrowhead in C). At 24 h after irradiation, hypertrophic and rounded ApoE-expressing microglia (H) appeared in the TE (arrowhead in F), retina (arrowhead in F, G), and OT (arrowhead in G). Unstained round areas were present in the TE, retina, and marginal regions of the OT (open arrowheads in F and G). At 42 h after irradiation, the number of ApoE-expressing microglia had increased markedly (arrowheads in K and L) and they showed a branched morphology (M). The numbers of unstained areas in the TE and OT (open arrowheads in K and L) decreased and they were small, not hypertrophied. Three-dimensional images were constructed from serial sections of WISH-stained nonirradiated (D), embryos at 24 h (I) and at 42 h after irradiation (N). ApoE-expressing microglia are in red and the unstained round areas appear white. MES, mesencephalon; OT, optic tectum; TE, telencephalon. Scale bars = 50 μm.