FIGURE 6.

Increased myofibroblast activation in TC‐treated mice is associated with early and persistent inflammation and scarring in the renal cortex. Relative mRNA expression of (a) Collagen I (Col1A1) and (b) αSMA (Acta2) compared to GAPDH in vehicle‐treated (open bars) and TC‐treated (gray bars) at the time of UPEC inoculation and 1, 7, 14, and 28 dpi. n = 6–8 mice per group. (c) Collagen I deposition was quantified after immunohistochemical staining of 8‐µm sections of fixed, frozen kidneys of vehicle‐ and TC‐treated mice at 14 and 28 dpi. n = 102–136 random images from 12 to 15 sections from five mice per group. (d) 8‐µm sections of fixed, frozen kidneys of vehicle‐ or TC‐treated mice 14 and 28 dpi were stained with Gomori trichrome, highlighting collagen in blue. **p < .01; scale bar represents 50 µm