Fig. 3
Changes in CGRP-IR fibre innervation in the upper dermis of the paw skin of cuff and SNI rats. Photomicrographs show representative examples of CGRP-IR fibre innervation (green) in the plantar paw skin of sham animals (a), and 2 (b), 6 (c) and 16 weeks (d) after cuff. Representative images of CGPR-IR innervation in the plantar paw skin of sham animals (f) and 2 (g), 6 (h) and 16 (i) weeks after SNI. Representative images of CGRP-IR innervation in the lateral paw skin of sham animals (k) and 2 (l), 6 (m) and 16 (n) weeks after SNI. Bar graphs show average CGRP-IR fibre length (µm) per unit area of upper dermis (µm2) in the plantar paw skin at various times after cuff (e), SNI (j) and in the lateral paw skin after SNI (o). Each point represents the mean ± SEM (n = 4–6 per group); *p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001 by one way ANOVA with Dunnett’s post hoc; scale bar 50 µm