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. 2023 Jan 26;15(3):636. doi: 10.3390/nu15030636

Figure 5.

Figure 5

Contribution of mucins to the cecal enlargement. (A–D) Alcian blue staining: (A,B) Representative images of Alcian blue staining of (A) GF B6J and C3H and (B) complex microbiota colonized B6J and C3H cecal tissue. Acidic mucin-secreting goblet cells are stained blue. Nuclei (light red) and background (pale pink) are counterstained with nuclear fast red. (C) Quantification of Alcian blue positive cells in the cecal tissue of GF and complex microbiota colonized B6J and C3H mice (n = 4; 5). A statistical analysis was performed by a Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn´s multiple comparison test * p < 0.05, and ** p < 0.01. Box plot indicates median. Each symbol represents one independent sample. (D) Average granule size of Alcian blue stained cells in the cecal tissue of GF and complex microbiota colonized B6J and C3H mice (n = 4; 5). A statistical analysis was performed by a Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn´s multiple comparison test ** p < 0.001. Box plot indicates median. Each symbol represents one independent sample. (E–H) Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining: (E,F) Representative images of PAS staining of (E) GF B6J and C3H and (F) complex microbiota colonized B6J and C3H cecal tissue (n = 4; 5). Neutral mucin-secreting goblet cells are stained pink to red. Nuclei are stained blue to violet. (G) Quantification of PAS positive cells in the cecal tissue of GF and complex microbiota colonized B6J and C3H mice (n = 4; 5). Statistical analysis was performed by a Kruskal-Wallis test with a Dunn´s multiple comparison test. Box plot indicates median. Each symbol represents one independent sample. (H) Average granule size of PAS stained cells in the cecal tissue of GF and complex microbiota colonized B6J and C3H mice. A statistical analysis was performed by a Kruskal-Wallis test with a Dunn´s multiple comparison test * p < 0.05. Box plot indicates median. Each symbol represents one independent sample. Abbreviations: GF, germ-free; SPF, specific pathogen free; ns, not significant; AB+, Alcian blue positive; PAS+, periodic acid-Schiff positive.