Similar severity of autoimmunity in GF and SPF NOD.aire−/− mice. (A) Summary of autoimmune infiltrates from 7-week-old NOD.aire−/− mice housed in SPF or GF conditions. Each octagon represents infiltration detected in individual mice, with segments corresponding to the organs indicated in the key filled according to severity. (B) Representative staining of cryosections of eye, lacrimal gland, and stomach of Rag1-deficient NOD mice with sera from 7-week-old NOD.aire−/− mice housed in SPF or GF conditions (green) and DAPI (blue). (C) Immunoblots of pancreatic extract were probed with serum from 7-week-old NOD.aire−/− mice housed in SPF or GF conditions, with each lane showing autoantibody reactivity of individual mice. lac., lacrimal; stom., stomach.