Fig. 1

A, Diagram showing the experimental design of double-transgenic mice to observe OXTR expression. In Oxtr-Cre; ROSA-LSL-tdTomato (Ai14) mice, OXTR-expressing cells are visualized as tdTomato-expressing cells. B, A typical image of cerebellum slices showing tdTomato-positive cells in Oxtr-Cre; Ai14 mice. PCs, BGs, and other cells such as granule cells were observed. In the Purkinje cell layer, PCs were confirmed by calbindin immunostaining, while BGs were confirmed by GFAP immunostaining. Black arrowhead; a cell body of a PC, white arrowheads; cell bodies of BGs, white arrows; radial fibers of BGs. Scale bar = 500 μm. PC, Purkinje cell; BG, Bergmann glial cell. C, Developmental changes in expression patterns of OXTR in the cerebellum. Scale bar = 100 μm. IGL, internal granular cell layer; PCL, Purkinje cell layer; EGL, external granular cell layer; ML, molecular layer; GCL, granule cell layer. In the lower row, signal intensities of tdTomato were individually adjusted for clear visualization of cell morphology. We observed at least 3 mice at each developmental stage except 53 weeks (two mice). Black arrowheads; cell bodies of PCs, white arrowheads; cell bodies of BGs. D, Typical expression pattern of OXTR in the cerebellar Purkinje cell layer in three transgenic lines. Scale bar = 50 μm. Black arrowheads; cell bodies of PCs, white arrowheads; cell bodies of BGs. We observed at least 3 mice of each mouse line except Oxtr-Cre*; Ai9 (two mice). E, Selective local up-regulation of OXTR in the cerebellum at the site of capillary insertion. Scale bar = 100 μm. F, Quantitative analysis of tdTomato-positive cells on the ipsilateral and contralateral side of the cerebellum. ** P < 0.01 (n = 5)