Increased percentage and proliferation of Oct6-positive cells in Lama2−/− sciatic nerves. Sciatic nerve sections from 4-week-old mice were double immunostained for Oct6, a marker for pre-myelinating Schwann cells, and Ki67, a marker for proliferating cells. The percentage of cells that expressed (i) Oct6 but not Ki67 (Oct6 only), (ii) both Oct6 and Ki67 (Oct6+/Ki67+) or (iii) Ki67 but not Oct6 (Ki67 only) was determined in untreated wild-type (leftmost three bars), untreated Lama2−/− (central three bars) and doxycycline-treated Lama2−/− (rightmost three bars) sciatic nerves. When compared with wild-type, significantly higher percentages of Oct6-only (non-proliferative, premyelinating Schwann cells) and double-positive Ki67+/Oct6+ (proliferating, premyelinating Schwann cells) cells were found in both untreated and doxycycline-treated Lama2−/− sciatic nerves. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01. Error bars = SE.