Figure 4A, 4B show the flow gating strategy for microglia that phagocytosed FITC bioparticles (Beads+) [5, 20]. After stroke, the ischemic microglia had increased phagocytosis in either IRF4 CKO or flox group (Figure 4C); however, the increase was significantly more robust in IRF4 CKO vs. flox mice as indicated by the ratios of stroke over sham group (Figure 4D). IRF5 signaling does not have any effect on the microglial phagocytosis (Supplementary Figure 3). This evidence concerns the gene IRF5 and stroke disorder.