Lung Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorate Elastase-Induced Damage in an Animal Model of Emphysema

Figure 3

Biological effects mediated by MSCs. (a, b) Representative images of GFP-positive MSCs (green) lacking alveolar epithelial commitment in emphysematous pulmonary parenchyma. Alveolar type I (a) and type II (b) epithelial cells express aquaporin 5 (AQP5; magenta, pseudocolor) and surfactant protein C (SFTPC, red), respectively. (c, d) Protein expression of AQP5 (c) and SFTPC (d) in the lung by Western blotting. (e, f) Proliferative activity (BrdU; white, pseudocolor) in the PPE-MSC group; alveolar type I (e) and type II (f) epithelial cells expressed AQP5 (magenta, pseudocolor) and SFTPC (red), respectively. Scattered GFP-positive MSCs (green) are also present. Nuclei are counterstained with DAPI (blue). (g, h) Quantification of newly formed alveolar type I (g) and type II (h) epithelial cells. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD ( in each experimental group). Scale bars: 20 μm. versus naïve; versus PPE.

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