Figure 4.

Loss of β-catenin in fibroblasts promotes tubular cell proliferation and tubular regeneration after AKI. (A–C) Western blot analyses show that fibroblast-specific ablation of β-catenin promoted renal PCNA and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase expression at 1 day after IRI. (A and B) Representative western blots and (C) quantitative data are presented. Numbers (1–4) indicate each individual animal in a given group. **P<0.01, *P<0.05 (n=6). (D–F) Representative immunohistochemical micrographs in blue channel show (D) Ki-67 and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase protein expression in Gli1-β-cat+/+ and Gli1-β-cat−/− mice at 1 day after IRI. Kidney sections were immunostained with specific antibodies against Ki-67 and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase. Boxed areas are enlarged. Scale bar, 50 µm. Quantitative determination of (E) positive Ki-67 cells and (F) areas of positive Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase are presented. *P<0.05 (n=4). Ctrl, control.