Figure 4

GluR2 mRNA expression during normoxic and hypoxic aestivation. mRNA levels were evaluated in whole brain of FW (white¹), 6dAE (black²), 6mAE (vertical striped³), 6dMUD (diagonal striped⁴) and 6mMUD (grey⁵) animals by qPCR. (a) The results are expressed as a proportion of the highest value after normalization with respect to β-actin levels and represent the means ± s.e.m. of three independent biological replicates. GluR2 in situ hybridization pattern was handled in the different brain nuclei of diencephalic (c) and extradiencephalic (d) areas of all aestivating conditions (expressed as % of FW). In particular, an evident increase of mRNA levels was detected in 6mAE (ii) with respect to 6mMUD (iii) lungfish at diencephalic level (b), of which a schematic representation was reported (i). Statistical analysis: ANOVA followed by Student’s t test for qPCR data and by Newman Keul’s test for in situ hybridization (^ap < 0.05, ^bp < 0.01, ^cp < 0.001). Scale bar: 600 μm. For abbreviations check list.