Fig. 1

Brain sections at the level of mid-cerebellum and medulla oblongata. A representative IHC images of GFAP immunoreactivity in the adult male CBA/J mouse cerebellum. Increased GFAP reactivity was observed in the molecular layer of the cerebellum in mice 24 weeks of age, but not animals 8, 10 or 16 weeks of age. B Magnified IHC images of the corresponding boxed areas in (A). Increased GFAP expression in the Bergmann glia (black arrows) along Purkinje cell spines extending across the molecular layer (M) of the cerebellar cortex and terminating at the pial surface (*). C Representative images of the mouse cerebellum under a confocal fluorescence microscope. The images were from different H&E sections of the same animals as used for (A) and (B). The white arrow points to red eosin fluorescence indicating Purkinje cell (P) soma undergoing degeneration. Note the soma shape change from flask-like (as seen in adjacent neurons, indicated by arrowheads) to an elliptical shape (indicated by the arrow). G: Granular cell layer. Scale bar = 50 μm