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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Mar 13.
Published in final edited form as: Ann Rheum Dis. 2012 Feb 10;71(5):761–767. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2011-200568

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Development of progressive dermal fibrosis in ΔEx3 mice with fibroblast-specific stabilisation of β-catenin. Cre-mediated recombination resulting in fibroblast-specific activation of β-catenin was induced by tamoxifen injection (n=10). Mice of the same genotype injected with oil served as controls (n=7). (A) Trichrome staining with blue staining for collagens. Pictures are shown at 100-fold magnification. (B) Skin thickening as determined by H and E staining. Values are expressed in relation to skin thickness of non-activated, oil-treated mice 2 weeks after mock treatment. White bars show non-activated, oil-treated ΔEx3 mice and grey bars represent skin thickness of activated, tamoxifen-treated ΔEx3 mice. (C) Hydroxyproline content in non-activated (white bars) and activated (grey bars) ΔEx3 mice. Values are expressed in relation to hydroxyproline content of non-activated, oil-treated mice at week 2. (D) α-SMA positive myofibroblasts in the skin from non-activated (white bars) and activated (grey bars) ΔEx3 mice. Values are expressed in relation to α-SMA counts of non-activated, oil-treated mice 2 weeks after Cre activation.