Figure 5. PGP 9.5 axons at day 7 are directed around the intradermal hair shaft (arrow) in nondiabetics (a) with only one subepidermal axon but no perifollicular axons in diabetics (b).

[Bar=100 microns]. Quantitation indicates fewer diabetic follicular axons [*p<0.05; n=5 diabetic, 5 nondiabetic at baseline; n=4 diabetic, 4 nondiabetic at day 7] (c). The appearance of Lgr6 protein expression was similar in epidermal keratinocytes and surrounding hair follicles roots (nondiabetic mice d,f,g, at day 7 and e at baseline;Lgr6 red, DAPI nuclei blue; yellow hair shaft autofluorescence f,g). Lgr6 keratinocytes migrated into secondarily healing wound zones (h, diabetic) [Bar= 50 microns for a-f, 100 microns for g, 20 microns for h]. In diabetes at day 7 there was a reduction in Lgr6 mRNA (i) [*p<0.0001; n=4 diabetics, 6 nondiabetics].