Transitory disappearance of microglia during the regeneration of the lizard medial cortex

In normal lizards, microglial cells populate the medial cortex (a zone homologous to the hippocampal fascia dentata), with a preferential distribution along the border between the granular cell layer and the plexiform layers. Intraperitoneal injection of the neurotoxin 3-acetylpyridine (3AP) induces a selective lesion in the medial cortex with a rapid degeneration of the granular layer and its zinc-enriched axonal projection. Within 6-8 weeks, the granular layer is, however, re- populated by a new set of neurons generated in the subjacent ependyma and the cell debris is removed. The aim of this study was to determine to what extent microglia were involved in the scavenging processes during …