Figure 1.

Paradigm for estimation of microglial chemotaxis to Aβ. Upper left panel shows a hypothetical example at Day 1, when microglia (black dots) are uniformly distributed relative to Aβ spots (gray circle). A plot of microglial density within 500 μm × 500 μm grid squares at increasing proximity to the spot (lower left) is therefore relatively flat, with a slope near 0, indicative of little or no migratory activity at this early time point. After 9 days (right panels), microglia are clustered over and around the Aβ spot, yielding a pronounced slope to the plot, consistent with chemotaxis to the Aβ. Previous studies have referred to such slopes as "chemotactic indices" [c.f., 15].