Fig. 3

Antibiotic (Abx) treatment has regional impact on enteric glia, affecting the ileal myenteric plexus. a Cross sections of the intestine showing PLP1⁺ enteric glial cell (EGC) bodies and projections (green). Cross sections were counterstained with DAPI. Scale bar: 200 μm. b Number of PLP1-eGFP⁺ cell bodies in the mucosa in both ileum and colon. c Whole-mount preparations showing the myenteric plexus with PLP1-eGFP⁺ EGC (green). Preparations were counterstained with DAPI. Scale bar: 100 μm. d PLP1-eGFP⁺ area in whole-mount preparations of the myenteric plexus in both ileum and colon. e Immunofluorescent images of S100B⁺ EGC (green) in the submucosal and myenteric plexus of both ileum and colon. Scale bar: 50 μm. f Relative number of S100B⁺ EGC in the ileum and colon in the submucosal and the myenteric plexus. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. b n = 3–4, mix of male and female mice. d n = 9–10, mix of male and female mice, two different cohorts were used , shown with black and white dots. f n = 5–7, male mice. Male mice are shown using white dots, female mice are shown using black dots. *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001; Student’s t test. EGC, enteric glial cells; VCU, villus-crypt unit