FIGURE 5:

Delayed reepithelialization in wounds from mice with ILK-deficient hair follicle stem cells. The right and left halves of dorsal skin of P50 K15.CrePR1-Ilk^f/+ or K15.CrePR1-Ilk^f/f mice (during the second telogen) were treated daily with topical RU486 or vehicle, respectively, for 5 d. Five days after the last treatment, the mice received two full-thickness wounds with a 6-mm biopsy punch. (A) Tissues were harvested 9 d postwounding and processed for histological analysis. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (micrographs a–d) or with trichrome stain (micrographs e–h). Arrows indicate wound margins, and the asterisks in panels d and h indicate the epithelium migrating edge. (B) Tissues were harvested 12 d postwounding and processed for histological analysis. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (micrographs a–h) or with trichrome stain (micrographs i–p). The sections correspond to either the reepithelialized area at the center of the wound or intact epidermis adjacent to the wound, shown for comparison. Arrows indicate wound edges at t = 0, and the asterisks indicate the edge of the migrating tongue in the newly formed epithelium. Bar, 500 μm.