Fig. 3.

F4/80⁺ macrophages accumulate in regions of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA)-positive myofibroblasts and cytokeratin 19 (Ck19)-positive cholangiocytes in 4-wk-old IFT88^Orpk mice. Livers were harvested from 2- and 4-wk-old control and IFT88^Orpk mice (n = 4–6) and stained with cytokeratin 19 (cholangiocytes), F4/80 (pan-macrophage marker), and SMA (myofibroblasts). A: immunofluorescence confocal microscopy shows mild accumulation of F4/80⁺ cells in regions of cholangiocyte expansion in 2-wk-old IFT88^Orpk mutant mice. Inset region is depicted with a white box. B: immunofluorescence confocal microscopy shows severe accumulation of F4/80⁺ macrophages (white) in regions of cholangiocyte (green) expansion in IFT88^Orpk mice. Accumulation of SMA⁺ myofibroblasts (red) in regions containing cholangiocyte expansion and macrophages suggests possible communication between these cells. A representative image is shown for each group of mice. Inset region is depicted with a white box. Arrows denote region containing numerous SMA⁺ myofibroblasts.