Fig 7. BM transplantation from WT donors leads to decidualization reaction in Hoxa11-null mice.

(A-H) Sections of E5.5 implantation sites from WT^{WT BMT}, KO^{WT BMT}, and KO^{KO BMT} stained with HE (A and B), CD31 (C and D), PR (E and F), and PCNA (G and H). B, D, F, and H are higher magnification photomicrographs of A, C, E, and G, respectively. Black arrows point to embryos. (J, K and L) Quantification of pecent PR-positive cells (J), percent PCNA-positive cells (K), and mean blood vessel luminal area (μm²) in the endometrium (n = 3–4 mice/group). (I) Sections of E5.5 implantation sites from WT^{WT BMT}, KO^{WT BMT}, and KO^{KO BMT} co-stained with Hoxa11 (green), CD45 (red), and counterstained with DAPI (blue). Arrows point to Hoxa11-expressing cells. (M) Relative uterine mRNA expression of HoxA11 and implantation-related genes Prl8a2, Lif, and Msx1 normalized to GAPDH in WT^{WT BMT} versus KO^{WT BMT} versus KO^{KO BMT} on E5.5 (n = 4–5 mice/group). (N) Uterine Hoxa11 protein expression in KO^{WT BMT} versus KO^{KO BMT} on E5.5. Bar graphs represent mean ± SEM. p-values are noted on the graphs. Scale bars, 100 μm (A, C, E, G), 50 μm (B, D, F, H). Underlying data are available in S1 Data. BM, bone marrow; BMT, BM transplant; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; HE, hematoxylin–eosin; Hoxa11, Homeobox a11; KO, knockout; PCNA, proliferating cell nuclear antigen; PR, progesterone receptor; WT, wild-type.