Fig. 2.

Effect of CS1 on the diaphragms of nitrofen-treated fetuses. Pregnant Wistar rat females were administered nitrofen, or olive oil (control), at E9.5 and 3 days later injected intraperitoneally with 100 µg/Kg of CS1 immunomodulator or only saline. Histological analyses of the fetuses were performed at E21. The representative images show fetuses from the healthy (Control), nitrofen with hernia (Nitro CDH +) and CS1-treated nitrofen without hernia (Nitro + CS1 CDH-) groups. (A, C, E) photographic composition of a cross-section of the fetuses of the different groups. A complete diaphragm is clearly observed in the control group while in the fetuses treated with nitrofen the liver (Li) has invaded the thorax due to the absence of the diaphragm. In the nitrofen fetus treated with the CS1 a complete diaphragm is also observed. (B, D, F) magnification of the diaphragm (*). The control fetus diaphragm (B) shows a normal morphology and homogeneous muscle fibres separating the abdomen from the thorax (A, arrow). In contrast, the incomplete diaphragm of the (Nitro CDH +) group (D) presents an amorphous morphology. Although there was no hernia in Nitro + CS1 CDH- group disorganised muscle fibre structure was also observed (F)