Figure 1.

P3-level digit tip amputations on C57Bl6/J mice show migration of natural killer (NK) cells to the wound site

(A) Histological depiction of mouse P2 and P3 bones. The surgery site is indicated by a green dashed line. Tissue taken for FC and histology is indicated by a black dashed line.

(B) Early time course of digit tip regeneration using trichrome staining.

(C) Representative confocal microscopy with dual staining of PDGFRα⁺ (MSCs) and NKP46⁺ (NK cell) invasion at each time point. (i) and (ii) show high magnification insets. Samples were counterstained with DAPI. White and blue dashed lines mark the nail and soft tissue and bone boundaries, respectively. n = 3; scale bars, 250 μm.

(D) Quantification of NK cell recruitment to the wound via FC. NK cells (red gate) defined as CD3-negative and NK1.1-positive peak at 12 DPA and subsequently decrease by 15 DPA. n = 20 digits, five mice/condition. DPA, days post-amputation