Acute Genetic Damage Induced by Ethanol and Corticosterone Seems to Modulate Hippocampal Astrocyte Signaling

Figure 5

EVs on NT surfaces observed in control and in exposed astrocytes. (a) Representative SEM images showing NTs of different thicknesses with EVs located on the NT surfaces (indicated with “a” letters) or seemed to be inside the NTs (pointed to with “b” letters). (b) Two demonstrative SEM images were obtained at different magnifications, displaying NTs of different diameters with EVs attached to their surface. The dashed box depicted in the top image encloses the magnified area presented in the bottom image, to demonstrate the presence of EVs on the NT surface. (c) A composition of three SEM images showing a large NT connecting two hippocampal astrocytes. The EVs can be visualized on the NT at different distances from both cells. (d) Box plot representing the distribution of the number of EVs on NT per astrocyte of each experimental condition. Differences between 150 astrocytes per variable and group were analyzed via the Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn test for multiple comparisons ; ; ; ^ns (not significant). SEM: scanning electron microscopy; CM: culture media; DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide; EtOH: ethanol; CTS: corticosterone; EtOH+CTS: EtOH and CTS cotreatment; NTs: nanotubes; EVs: extracellular vesicles.

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