Figure 7

MMP-1, -2, -9 and -12 and TIMP-3 in macrophages and astrocytes after traumatic human spinal cord injury. Images were taken from cases with different survival times after SCI in transverse sections.A: 8 days after injury. Double immunofluorescence for CD68 (red) and MMP-1 (green). Almost all microglia/macrophages were MMP-1 positive at the lesion site. B: 8 months after injury. Double immunofluorescence for GFAP (green) and MMP-1 (red). Large, activated, strongly GFAP-positive astrocytes expressing MMP-1 were observed in the glial scar tissue. C: 11 days after trauma, MMP-2 immunoreactivity (green) was expressed by CD68 positive microglia/macrophages (red) at the lesion site. D: 2 days after injury, CD68 positive microglia/macrophages (red) were MMP-9 immunoreactive (green) at the lesion epicentre. E: 24 days after trauma, dense packing of large, CD68 positive macrophages (red) which also stained for MMP-9 (green) was visible at the lesion epicentre. F: In the same case, double immunofluorescence with CD68 (red) and MMP-12 (green) showed a nearly identical distribution. G: Eight months after injury, activated GFAP-positive astrocytes (green) displayed TIMP-3 immunoreactivity (red) in the perilesional scar. (A-G, mag. ×400)