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. 2017 Feb 27;2017:2857478. doi: 10.1155/2017/2857478

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Effects of sFRP4 on melanocyte differentiation in vivo. (a) Schematic drawing showing the timing of multiple injections of sFRP4 protein, hair cycle events, and check points. Hair cycle initiation was induced by depilation of the back skin of 7-week-old Dct-LacZ mice. sFRP4 recombinant protein or PBS was administrated intracutaneously at days 0, 1, 2, and 3 after depilation. The histology and molecule check were performed 2 days and 4 days after intradermal injection of sFRP4 recombinant protein. (b) The sFRP4 expression was detected by immunofluorescence after PBS or sFRP4 treatment. (c) Whole-mount X-gal staining reveals the Dct-LacZ labeled McSCs and differentiated melanocytes. The dotted circle represents the injected region. (d) X-gal staining counterstained with H&E staining shows the LacZ-positive melanocytes in the hair follicles (red arrow, X-gal staining). (e) Statistical analysis reveals the number of LacZ-positive melanocytes is significantly decreased after sFRP4 treatment, when compared to the controls. Data are reported as average ± SD. ∗p < 0.05. Bars: 50 μm.