Figure 6.

Assessment of inflammation in nephrotoxic nephritis. Representative images of F4/80 (macrophages) (a) and thymosin β₄ (Tmsb4x) staining (b). Cells positive for both F4/80 (green) and Tmsb4x (red) are shown in the merged image (c) and are indicated by arrows. Images were taken by fluorescent microscopy. Bar = 20 μm. Representative images showing Cd3 (T-cell marker) staining in the glomerular tuft (arrows) and in the periglomerular area (arrowheads) of Tmsb4x^+/y controls (d) and Tmsb4x^+/y (e) and Tmsb4x^−/y (f) mice 21 days after administration of nephrotoxic serum (NTS). The number of Cd3+ cells in the glomerular tuft (g) and in the periglomerular area (h) was counted as 50 glomeruli per sample, and the average number was calculated (Tmsb4x^+/y, n = 5; Tmsb4x^+/y + NTS, n = 9; Tmsb4x^−/y + NTS, n = 6). Representative images showing F4/80 (activated macrophage marker) staining in the glomerular tuft and the periglomerular area of Tmsb4x^+/y control (i), Tmsb4x^+/y + NTS (j), and Tmsb4x^−/y + NTS (k) mice. The number of F4/80+ cells in the glomerular tuft (l) and in the periglomerular area (m) was counted as 50 glomeruli per sample, and the average number was calculated (Tmsb4x^+/y, n = 5; Tmsb4x^+/y + NTS, n = 8; Tmsb4x^−/y + NTS, n = 6). Data are presented as mean ± SEM. *P ≤ 0.05, **P ≤ 0.01, ***P ≤ 0.001. Bar = 20 μm. Tmsb4x, thymosin β₄.