Figure 4. KRT14^pos cells support growth in ex vivo bladder tissue explant cultures.

(a) Urothelial explant cultures of a tamoxifen-injected Krt14^CreERT2/+;R26^tdTomato/+ 8-week-old mouse at 1, 2, 4 and 6 days. The tissue was obtained and cultured 2 days after the last tamoxifen injection. (b) KRT14 and Ki67 staining of the 6-day outgrowth of the explant shown in a. (c) Urothelial explant cultures of tissues obtained from tamoxifen-injected 8-week-old Krt14^CreERT2/+;R26^DTR/+ or Krt14^CreERT2/+ mice, cultured either in the presence or absence of diphtheria toxin (DT). Four-hydroxytamoxifen (4OHT) was included in the culture medium for the first 12 h to ensure complete transgene recombination. (d) IF against KRT14 and Ki67 on bladders of experimental (Krt14^CreERT2/+;R26^tdTomato/+) and control (Krt14^CreERT2/+) mice challenged with CPP and injected with DT. Scale bars, 1 mm (a,c); 100 μm (b,d).