Fig. 6

Low molecular weight Chitosan (LMWC) delays the ovary senescence via promoting phagocytosis of macrophages. A Eight-month-old mice were administrated LMWC in the drinking water (no LMWC as control) for 2 months in prevention experimental settings (n = 10 for each group). At the end point, mice were euthanized with the experimental mice to collect the ovaries for analysis. B Quantification of ovarian index (n = 10 for each group). C Representative images of TUNEL-labeled apoptotic cells (in green) with DAPI counterstaining (in blue) in the ovaries of mice. D Statistical analysis of the proportion of CD36⁺, CD204⁺, and CD68⁺ macrophages within the total macrophages, with a sample size of n = 10 for each group. E Histologic sections of representative ovaries from each treatment group, and average number of the growing follicles per section. F Quantification of serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) obtained from LMWC-treated and control (Ctrl) mice (n = 10 for each group). G Representative images of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining in murine ovarian sections, and quantification of SA-β-gal positive area (n = 10 for each group). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001