Immunohistochemistry for CD68 and GFAP expression in the crushed optic nerve on day 3.

<p>Representative photographs from 3 independent samples for each condition are presented. In each picture, 45 images were stacked using Z-scan at 0.5 µm intervals. CD68-positive cells are not visible in the sham control (A), while many CD68-positive cells (green) are present at the crushed site (arrows) in the optic nerve with placebo treatment (B). Immunoreactivity to GFAP (red) was relatively weak at the crush site, and it was intensified in the area surrounding the lesion. This relationship suggests that chemoattractant molecules are expressed in reactive astrocytes at the border of the crush site. The accumulation of CD68-positive cells and immunoreactivity to GFAP is reduced by systemic simvastatin treatment (C). CD68 staining: mouse monoclonal anti-CD68 (primary) and Alexa 488-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG (secondary antibodies); GFAP staining: rabbit polyclonal anti-GFAP (primary) and Alexa 594-conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG (secondary antibodies). Bar = 100 µm. A total of 9 rats were used in these analyses.