Figure 1.
Changes in hepatocyte density after partial hepatectomy (PH) in Nrf2+/+ and Nrf2−/− mice.
Livers were collected from the two genotype groups of mice at the indicated time points post-PH. Liver sections were prepared and subjected to hematoxylin and eosin staining. Hepatocytes were counted in five randomly chosen fields per liver section (400x magnification) with Image-Pro Plus software. The results are shown as the means per field ± SD (n = 3 to 5 mice/time point/genotype; *, p<0.05 between Nrf2+/+ and Nrf2−/− mice).
Figure 2.
Liver sections were prepared from the resting livers and the livers at 60 h after PH in Nrf2+/+ and Nrf2−/− mice and subjected to immunostaining with β-catenin primary antibody. Hepatocyte membrane was stained dark brown.
Figure 3.
Protein expression of CD133, Fn14, TFF3, HNF4α, p-Akt1 (T308), Akt1, p-p70S6K (T389), p70S6K, p-4E-BP1 (T37/46), and 4E-BP1 in regenerating livers of Nrf2+/+ and Nrf2−/− mice.
Livers were collected from normal mice and the mice subjected to partial hepatectomy (PH) at the indicated time points following surgery. Liver lysates prepared from three mice per time point per genotype were pooled with equal amount of protein from each preparation. Western blotting was performed with antibodies against the proteins indicated. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GADPH) was used as a loading control. NL, normal liver.
Figure 4.
Immunohistochemical analysis of CD133, Fn14, TFF3, and HNF4α in regenerating livers of Nrf2+/+ and Nrf2−/− mice.
Liver sections were prepared from the livers isolated at 60 h after PH from three mice per genotype. All liver sections were subjected to immunostaining with primary antibodies against CD133, Fn14, TFF3, or HNF4α. Representative immunohistochemically stained liver sections are shown.
Figure 5.
The mRNA expression of a group of genes associated with liver functions in regenerating livers of Nrf2+/+ and Nrf2−/− mice.
Total RNA was prepared from the livers at the indicated time points after partial hepatectomy (PH). Hepatic expression levels of the genes indicated were measured by qRT-PCR and are expressed as the means of fold changes relative to the mRNA level in normal livers in Nrf2+/+ mice ± SD (n = 3 mice/time point/genotype; *, p<0.05 between Nrf2+/+ and Nrf2−/− mice). NL, normal liver.