Figure 1.

The 5/6 nephrectomized (5/6Nx) rats develop left ventricular (LV) fibrosis, which correlates with fibroblast growth factor 23 (Fgf23) expression. (A) Representative bright field and polarized light microscopy images of picrosirius red-stained myocardial tissue of 5/6Nx and sham-operated rats and quantification of interstitial collagen fiber deposition demonstrating increased LV fibrosis in 5/6Nx rats (scale bar, 50 µm). (B–D) Pearson’s correlations of LV fibrosis with cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes, and cardiac and bone Fgf23 mRNA expression as determined by quantitative real-time PCR using Gapdh as housekeeping gene. Clear dots, sham-operated rats; black dots, 5/6Nx rats. All values are shown as mean ± SEM; ** p < 0.01; n = 5–6 rats per group.