The distribution of MFG-E8 positive cells in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) to the outer layers of the retina during retinal degeneration in RCS rats.

<p>(A) MFG-E8 positive cells are mainly scattered in GCL at P14. (B) At P45, MFG-E8 positive cells were detected in the entire inner retina and outer plexiform layer (OPL). (C) At P90 most of the labelled cells were observed among the remaining photoreceptor cells. (D) The quantified distribution of MFG-E8 positive cells from the inner retina layer to the outer space. Scale bar: 50 µm.</p

The distribution of migratory microglial cells and the association between mRNA levels and the number of migrated microglial cells during retinal degeneration in RCS rats.

<p>(A) The distribution of microglial cells in the retina of RCS rats from GCL to ONL during retinal degeneration from P14 to P90. (B) mRNA levels of MFG-E8 and integrin αυ showed more significant linear regression with the migration of microglial cells than the integrin β5. (C) mRNA level of CD11b was significantly associated with the migration of microglial cells and IL-1β and TNF-α showed a modestly linear regression, but the association between mRNA levels of MCP-1 and microglial cells was slightly negative, which might be owed to a dramatic reduction of apoptotic cells and a possible decrease in the phagocytic activity (or requirement) of microglial cells in the ONL.</p

Summary of primers.

<p>Summary of primers.</p

The mRNA expression of MFG-E8 and its integrins (αυ and ß5) and inflammatory factors in retinas of RCS and rdy rats.

<p>(A–N) all of the gene expression of RCS rats formed a bimodal peak pattern centred at P14 and P45 to P60 but formed a unimodal pattern centred at P14 in rdy rats. The mRNA levels of MFG-E8, integrin αυ and IL-1β were relatively lower than the others in both rats, although the expression of integrin β5, CD11b, TNF-α and MCP-1 were quite high in the two rats, especially in RCS rats (E–J and M–N). *P<0.05.</p

Microglial cell feature with two types of shape was identified in the MFG-E8 positive cells in the retina of the RCS rats.

<p>Double labelling was applied to detect the cell expressions MFG-E8 and CD11b. At P14 (A–C), most MFG-E8 labelled cells were found in the ganglion cell layer (GCL), with amoeboid shape (indicated by arrow heads). At P30 (D–F), MFG-E8 and CD11b positive cells show a well-ramified shape distributed in the whole retina (indicated by arrow heads). Double immunofluorescent staining indicates the expression of MFG-E8 (G) and ß5 integrin (H) in the retina of RCS rats at P90. (I) ß5 is mainly distributed in the subretinal space (SRS) and closely binds with MFG-E8 (indicated by arrow heads). Scale bar: 20 µm.</p

The mRNA expression patterns in the retinas of RCS and rdy rats.

<p>(A–B) The 75% centroid of confidence ellipses based on the discrimination function analysis indicated the similarity of mRNA expression patterns in RCS and rdy rats, respectively. The mRNA expression trend showed a positive association with retina development from P0 to P90 in RCS rats (A) but it was relatively stable in rdy rats (B).</p