B6.129s2 cg cxcr5tm1lipp j

The CXCR5^−/− (KO) mice [B6.129S2 (Cg)-CXCR5tm1Lipp/J] and wild-type (C57BL/6J) mice were obtained from Jackson Laboratory. Animals were housed on a 12-hour light-dark cycle animal facilities, which are pathogen-free. The mice were fed with normal chow diets and provided with water ad libitum. All experimental procedures and protocols in this study were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Central South University and performed in accordance with the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) guidelines. In both C57 WT and CXCR5 KO groups, 5-10 mice were used for H&E and immunofluorescence staining; 5 mice were used for Western blot and quantitative RT-PCR analysis and 10 mice for preparation of complete retinal vascular bed.

The Cxcr5^-/- (KO) mice [B6.129S2(Cg)-Cxcr5^tm1Lipp/J] and C57BL/6 mice were bought from Jackson Laboratory. Aged C57BL/6 wild type (WT) control mice were obtained from National Institute of Aging (NIA, NIH). Both KO and WT mice were housed at the Wilmer Woods and Cancer Research Building Animal Facilities at Johns Hopkins Hospital, which are pathogen-free. The mice were fed with normal chow diets and provided with water ad libitum. The mice were anesthetized with ketamine hydrochloride (100mg/kg body weight) and xylazine (4mg/kg body weight). All the animal experiments in this study were specifically approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the guidelines of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Statement for the use of animals in ophthalmic and vision research.

Adult ICR mice (male, 8 weeks) were purchased from Experimental Animal Center of Nantong University. Cxcr5^−/− mice [B6.129S2 (Cg)-Cxcr5^tm1Lipp/J, stock number 006659] were purchased from the Jackson Laboratory, and C57BL/6 wild-type mice were used as control. The animals were maintained on a 12:12 light–dark cycle at a room temperature of 22 ± 1 °C with free access to food and water. All animal procedures performed in this study were reviewed and approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Nantong University and were conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the International Association for the Study of Pain. Mice underwent a modified pIONL. In brief, the mouse was anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital and laid on the back. The oral cavity was exposed. A 1-mm longitudinal incision on the left buccal mucosa and at the level of the maxillary first molar was made to expose the infraorbital nerve (ION). The ION was then isolated and approximately one half of the nerve was tightly ligated with 8-0 silk suture and then transected just distal to the ligature. The buccal mucosa tissue was then sutured. The surgical procedure for the sham group was identical to that of the pIONL group, except that the ION was not ligated or transected.