IGF1 causes a transient reactive phenotype and accumulation of NIRG cells in the retina.

<p>Whole-mount preparations of control and treated retinas were labeled with antibodies to Sox2 (red), Sox9 (magenta), and transitin (green) (<b>a</b>–<b>c</b>). Vertical sections of the retina were labeled with antibodies to transitin (<b>e</b>–<b>i</b>). Micrographs were obtained from projections of optical sections collected through the IPL (<b>a</b>–<b>c</b>) or wide-field microscopy of retinal sections (<b>e</b>–<b>i</b>). Images of control and treated retinas were obtained using identical microscope, camera settings, and post-acquisition processing settings. Histograms illustrate the mean (± SD) number of NIRG cells within the IPL, INL and the entire retina (<b>d</b>). Significance of difference among groups was determined by using a one-way ANOVA (p<0.0001). Significance of difference between control (time 0) and treatment groups (days 1, 2, 3 and 7 after IGF1-treatment) (*p<0.05, **p<0.001, ***p<0.0001), and between treatment groups at different time points (bracket and p-values) was determined by using a two-tailed post-hoc Student’s t-test. The scale bar (50 µm) in panel <b>c</b> applies to <b>a</b>–<b>c</b>, and the panel in <b>i</b> applies to <b>e</b>–<b>i</b>. Abbreviations: INL – inner nuclear layer, IPL – inner plexiform layer, GCL – ganglion cell layer.