Fig. 5

Coherent remodeling of PNNs and their perforating synaptic terminals precedes motor coordination recovery after stroke. A Representative maximum intensity z-projections show transient loosening of motor cortical PNNs after stroke detected by SR-SIM. Inlets show artistic representations of PNN facets. B Single-plane confocal images show representative immunolabeling of GABAergic axonal terminals expressing VGAT (red) and glutamatergic axonal terminals expressing VGLUT1 (red). PNNs were labeled with WFA (cyan), nuclei are shown in blue. Scale bars, 5 µm. C, D Quantifications show the number of GABAergic (C) and glutamatergic (D) terminals perforating PNNs. Graphs are box plots with data as dots, means as squares, medians as lines, interquartile ranges as boxes and whiskers showing SD. Asterisks and hashes denote significant differences with the control and stroke groups, correspondingly, as indicated by two-way ANOVA and t-tests (*^,#p < 0.05, **p < 0.01), n = 7. E Motor coordination recovery measured by tight rope test. Data are mean ± s.e.m. n = 7. DPI, days post ischemia; ns, not significant