Research Paper Volume 13, Issue 5 pp 7211—7227

Figure 4. Fstl1^+/- tumor free mice exhibited a significant reduction in thymus size and thymocyte numbers, however, their thymocyte subpopulations were normal. (A) Representative images of thymuses from E18.5 WT and Fstl1^-/- mice. Scale bar, 1 mm. (B) Representative images of thymuses from 8-week-old WT and Fstl1^+/- mice. Scale bar, 5 mm. (C) Total thymocyte numbers were counted from mice with the indicated age and genotypes. (D, E) Thymus weight and index of 8-week-old WT and Fstl1^+/- mice. (F) Representative flow cytometry profiles presenting the proportions of DN, DP, CD4⁺ SP and CD8⁺ SP thymocytes in the WT and Fstl1^+/- mouse thymuses. Quantification of the proportions of DN, DP, CD4⁺ SP and CD8⁺ SP thymocytes within the gated live cells in the WT and Fstl1^+/- mouse thymuses (n=12, WT; n=9, Fstl1^+/-). (G) The numbers of DN, DP, CD4⁺ SP and CD8⁺ SP thymocytes (n=12, WT; n=9, Fstl1^+/-). (H) Results of qRT-PCR showing the mRNA levels of Ki67 in WT and Fstl1^+/- mouse thymuses. The gene mRNA level was normalized to that of β-actin. (I) The protein level of Ki67 in the thymuses tissues of WT and Fstl1^+/- mice (n=5). Densitometric measurement of band intensity normalized to that of β-actin. Data are presented as mean ± SD. Each dot in the graphs represents an individual mouse. not significant;*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01.