Fig. 5.

Founder cells of mixed clones may reside in the intersection zone. (A) Experimental design for the EdU chase experiment. A single EdU injection of 0.5 mg per mouse was given to ∼8- to 10-wk-old wild-type mice at diestrus; uterus tissue was collected at 4 h, 24 h, and the first estrus stage postinjection (n = 5 animals per time point). (B) EdU (red) detected in uterine tissue with EdU⁺ epithelial cells in the intersection zone indicated by arrows (4 h). EdU⁺ epithelial clusters are indicated in dashed squares at 24 h or first estrus stage, which also include the intersection zone. (C) Single glands (n = 80 per time point) dissected from EdU-treated uterine tissue were used for 3D analysis. EdU⁺ epithelial cells (4 h) or clusters (first estrus stage) in the intersection zone are indicated by arrows, and the intersection zone by the square. (D) Schematic of mouse uterine endometrial epithelium, epithelial stem cell distribution, and behavior of uterine epithelial stem cells. (Scale bar, 100 μm in all images.)