Research Paper Volume 13, Issue 14 pp 18051—18093

Figure 6. GTE-supplemented diet prevents the age-related loss of V0_C interneurons. (A1, A2) A general view of a spinal cord hemisection of an adult mouse immunolabeled for VAChT (red) and counterstained with fluorescent Nissl (blue) for neuron identification; the arrow points to a V0_C interneuron cluster located near the central canal (delimited by a dotted line); note also the different VAChT-positive MN pools in the ventral horn. (B) Density of V0_C interneurons in spinal cords of aged animals from control and GTE groups; bars represent the mean ± SEM of 3-5 animals (20-28 images) per condition; *p < 0.05 vs. control (Student’s t-test); the red line indicates the mean value in adult mice found in [6]. (C1–F2) Representative confocal micrographs of VAChT-positive V0_C interneurons (red) in the spinal cords of an adult mouse (C1, C2) and of old animals fed with the control (D1, D2) and GTE-supplemented diet (E1, E2); sections were counterstained with fluorescent Nissl (blue) for neuron visualization; the central canal is delimited by dotted lines. Scale bars: in A2 = 200 μm (valid for A1), and in E2 = 100 μm (valid for C1–E1).