Microglia from <i>IfitmDel</i> mice exhibit morphologic abnormalities.

<p>(A) Immunohistochemical examination of sections prepared from saline perfused and paraformaldehyde fixed brains stained for the expression of the microglial marker, Iba1 (red), are shown. (A,B) Comparison of microglia from photographs taken of the lateral hypothalamic nucleus (region of the ventromedial nucleus shown). Arrow heads point to typical appearance of (A) microglia in the <i>Ifitm</i> wild-type (WT) mice or (B) <i>IfitmDel</i> mouse. Dotted lines indicate extending processes of microglia seen in IfitmDel mouse sections. Bar = 30 microns. (C,D) increased magnification of individual microglia as marked by an arrow head. In (C) <i>Ifitm</i> WT microglia exhibit numerous bifurcations (some indicated by asterisks) whereas (D) <i>IfitmDel microglia</i> show few bifurcations and the long extended processes (dots) with few bifurcations. Bars are 20 microns. (E,F) Cultured bone marrow-derived macrophages from (E) <i>Ifitm</i> WT or (F) <i>IfitmDel</i> mouse (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0123218#sec002" target="_blank">Methods</a> and text). The arrow points to a common cell morphology where cells are flattened and have fan-shaped lamella. The double arrow identifies a cell with an elongated cell morphology that also common to cultures prepared from either genotype. Both are typical to both preparations. The arrow head identifies a cell with morphology unique to the <i>IfitmDel</i> culture that is characterized by exceptionally long thin processes (dots) that resemble the microglia morphology seen in the brain. Bar = 20 microns.