FIGURE 5.
Mucus obstruction develops following Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in 6-month-old cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance receptor knockout (KO) rats. Representative Alcian Blue–Periodic Acid–Schiff images are shown from 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days post-infection in a) 2-month-old wild-type (WT) and KO rats and b) 6-month-old WT and KO rats. Morphometric analysis of the slides yielded area of mucus accumulation in the airways, in μm2, was calculated in c) 2-month-old and d) 6-month-old rats. Data are presented as mean±sem and analysed via two-way ANOVA with Sidak post-test. *: p<0.05, **: p<0.01, ****: p<0.0001. n=6–8 per group; 15–20 small airways per animal were measured. Scale bars=200 μm.