Figure 5.

Changes in circulating Shh concentrations and ulcer sizes in control and PC-ShhKO parabionts. A, Changes in circulating Shh concentrations in blood collected from control and PC-ShhKO mice at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 days after acetic acid-induced injury. Data are expressed as the mean ± SEM with three to five mice per time point. *, P < .05 compared with control day 0. B, Design of the parabiosis experiments using control (CON) and PC-ShhKO (KO) parabionts. Surgery was performed to pair control and PC-ShhKO mice to establish a common circulation. An incision was made to expose the abdominal cavity wall and skin was pulled away from the muscle layer. C, A small incision was made below the diaphragm of each mouse, and the muscle layer of the two abdominal cavities were sutured together to form an opening between the abdominal cavities of each mouse. D, Wound clips were used to attach the skin between the two mice. E, Abdominal cavities were fused 14 days after parabiosis surgery. F, Ulcer size 7 days after the injury in control (CON) and PC-ShhKO (KO) parabionts in which both control and PC-ShhKO mice received an ulcer or parabionts in which only PC-ShhKO mice received ulcers. G, Shh concentration in plasma collected from control (CON) and PC-ShhKO (KO) parabionts. Data are expressed as the mean ± SEM with three to five pairs. *, P < .05 compared with parabionts with ulcers in both control and PC-ShhKO mice.