Figure 4. Localization of sm-myosin expression after TGF-β₁ and methacholine treatment.

Lung slices were treated with TGF-β₁ (2 ng/mL), methacholine (MCh; 10 µM) or medium (basal) for 2 days. Lung slices were then fixed, stained for sm-myosin and analysed by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. The images shown in (A) are taken from the peripheral airways (diameter smaller than 100 µm). Staining intensity within the muscle bundle was quantified and data shown from the peripheral airways (B) and central airways (diameter larger than 400 µm; C) are the means ± SE of 3 independent experiments. ^*: p<0.05 compared to basal (one-way ANOVA, posthoc Newman-Keuls).