Fig. 4

Lactate treatment promotes microglia proliferation and scar formation after SCI in vivo. A Representative immunofluorescence images of microglia proliferation by double-staining BrdU (magenta) and CX3CR1 (green) in control, lactate, 4-CIN, and OX groups at 7 dpi in vivo. Scale bar: 20 μm. B Quantification of the density of BrdU⁺CX3CR1⁺ cells in (A). All data were presented as the mean ± SEM, n = 3 mice per group, ****p < 0.0001; N.S., not significant. C Immunofluorescence staining of CX3CR1 (red) in control, lactate, 4-CIN, and OX groups at 28 dpi in vivo. Asterisks indicate the lesion site, scale bar: 100 μm. D Quantification of the density of CX3CR1⁺ cells in (C). All data were presented as the mean ± SEM, n = 3 mice per group, ***p < 0.001; N.S., not significant