Figure 7

Aging fasudil-treated Smn ^2B/- mice display mature neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Transversus abdominis (TVA) muscles were isolated from post-natal (P) day 21 (n = 6) and 6-month -old (n = 4) fasudil-treated Smn ^2B/- mice. (A) Representative images of TVA muscles from P21 and 6-month-old fasudil-treated Smn ^2B/- mice. (Neurofilament (NF) and synaptic vesicle protein 2 (SV2): green; EP: red (BTX)). Scale bar = 30 μm. B) Types of EP occupation were categorized and quantified as fully occupied (where the pre-synaptic terminal completely covers the EP), partial (where the pre-synaptic terminal partially covers the EP), or vacant (where no pre-synaptic terminal is present at an EP). Surviving 6-month-old fasudil-treated Smn ^2B/- mice display significantly more fully occupied EPs than P21 fasudil-treated Smn ^2B/- mice (**P = 0.0096; data are mean +/- s.d.). (C) Representative images of EP morphology categorization from mature to immature: pretzel, perforated, bright lines and uniform. EPs are visualized with BTX. (D) Quantification shows that 6-month-old fasudil-treated Smn ^2B/- mice display significantly more mature pretzel-shaped EPs than P21 fasudil-treated Smn ^2B/- mice (****P < 0.0001); data are mean +/- s.d.). BTX, α-bungarotoxin; EP, endplate.