Figure 1. Reduced Neurogenesis in Abx-Treated Mice Can Be Restored by Exercise and Probiotic Treatment
(A) The first panel shows representative micrographs of the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus (DG) in the hippocampus. Proliferating cells labeled with
BrdU (red) arise in the SGZ of the DG, mature, and integrate into the granular cell layer labeled with NeuN (blue). Doublecortin (Dcx, green) is a marker for mitotic
neuronal progenitor cells (NPCs) and NeuN (blue) is a marker for mature neurons (*cell expressing BrdU and NeuN and #cell expressing BrdU/NeuN and Dcx).
(B) The cartoon visualizes the steps in neuronal maturation in the DG, and the colors match with the fluorochromes in (A).
(C) The total number of BrdU-positive cells is quantified along with the number of BrdU-labeled cells at certain maturation stages from SPF mice treated (Abx
treated) or not (SPF naive) with antibiotics (Abxs). Some mice were then given a fecal transplant (Abx + SPF transplant), and half the mice in each group was given
access to a running wheel (darker bars, running +) for 4 weeks prior to analysis. The asterisk on the Abx + SPF transplant and Abx + running + SPF transplant show