Figure 6.

Subcapsular delivery of the COL-PGE₂ matrix results in greater activation of Sox9 expression and Sox9⁺ cell proliferation

(A and B) (A) Confocal images and (B) local zoomed-in images for colocalization analysis of anti-Sox9 immunostaining (gray) and Sox9-Cre^ERT2-activated EGFP fluorescence in kidneys with local injection (left) and subcapsular delivery (right) of the COL-PGE₂ matrix on day 14 post-AKI. White arrowheads highlight the renal tubules formed by Sox9-EGFP-labeled cells, and white arrowheads highlight Sox9⁺/EGFP co-labeled cells. Rectangles in the schema represent Distal, Adjacent (upper panel) and Upper, Lower (lower panel), respectively. Scale bar, 50 μm.

(C and D) (C) Confocal images and (D) local magnification images for colocalization analysis of anti-Ki-67 immunostaining (gray) and Sox9-Cre^ERT2-activated EGFP fluorescence in kidneys with local injection (left) and subcapsular delivery (right) of the COL-PGE₂ matrix on day 14 post-AKI. Red arrowheads highlight Ki-67⁺/EGFP⁺ co-labeled cells. Scale bar, 50 μm.

(E) Quantification of EGFP⁺ renal tubules, Sox9⁺/EGFP⁺ co-labeled cells, and Ki-67⁺/EGFP⁺ co-labeled cells in the kidneys of mice on day 14 after subcapsular or local delivery of the COL-PGE₂ matrix post-AKI. One-way repeated measures ANOVA with Tukey post hoc tests (E) was used for statistical analysis. Data are expressed as mean ± SD; n = 3, ∗p < 0.05 versus distal positions of the local injection of the COL-PGE₂ matrix local injection.