Fig. 4
Expression of c-Fos in the TNC after modeling and tONS treatment among four groups. (A) Representative images of c-Fos (red) immunofluorescence staining in the location of the TNC (left). Enlarged area for statistical analysis (right). (B) Representative images of c-Fos (red) and DAPI (blue) immunofluorescence staining among different groups within the TNC. White arrow showed the merged c-Fos-positive and DAPI-positive cells. (C) The numbers of c-Fos-positive neurons in the TNC increased significantly after repeated IS infusions compared with the NS group. Significantly reduced cell numbers were observed in the IS + True group compared with the sham tONS group (n = 6 rats/group). ## P < 0.01, IS + Sham vs. NS + Sham; ** P < 0.01, IS + True vs. IS + Sham; error bars represent SEM. Sp5c, caudal part of the spinal trigeminal nucleus