Skip to main content
. 2019 Jun 9;8(1):879–894. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2019.1625728

Figure 2.

Figure 2.

HBV reinfection resistance of proliferating hepatocytes seen in liver-humanized mouse model could be due to NTCP down-regulation. (A) Schematic diagram of the steps used to produce chronically HBV-infected USB mice (first transplantation) and to induce proliferation of HBV-infected human primary hepatocytes through a second transplantation. (B) Immunofluorescent staining of frozen sections for NTCP (green), Ki67(red), SP100 (light blue small dots in the nuclei) and nuclei (blue). SP100 was used to specifically recognize human hepatocytes in the mouse livers. The white triangles in picture of day 3 and broken white line in picture of day 14 depict human hepatocytes. The blue arrow in picture of day 30 depicts proliferating human hepatocytes with normal NTCP expression. The white arrows depict non-cycling human hepatocytes with weak or negative NTCP expression. Green spots seen in the pictures were non-specific. (C) Immunofluorescent staining of frozen sections for HBcAg (green), keratin 18 (red) and nuclei (blue). Keratin 18 was used to specifically recognize human hepatocytes in the mouse livers. Different days represent mice euthanized at different time points post second transplantation as indicated above. Scale bars = 50 μm.