Fig. 5

Motor innervation and capillaries are disrupted by local BaCl₂ injection. a Neuromuscular junctions in TA muscle. Schwann cells (green) are closely associated with axonal neurofilament-heavy (cyan; indicates motor axons) and overlay postsynaptic nicotinic receptors (red) at 0 dpi (uninjured control). Following injection of 1.2% BaCl₂, NMJ components are dissociating at 1 dpi and fragmented at 2 and 3 dpi. b Capillaries in GM (green endothelial cells) are densely organized and align along myofibers in uninjured muscle (0 dpi). Following injection of 1.2% BaCl₂, disrupted and fragmented capillaries are observed at 1–2 dpi (arrowheads) while evidence of capillary neoformation is apparent at 3 dpi (arrowhead). Scale bars, 50 μm. Color coding in 3 dpi panels applies to earlier timepoints for innervation and capillarity. NF-H, neurofilament heavy; AChR, nicotinic actetylcholine receptors; S100B, Schwann cells expressing GFP; Cdh5, endothelial cells expressing GFP