Figure 6: DC differentiation can occur in the absence of C/EBPβ.

(a) BM cells were cultured for 7 days in the presence of GM-CSF alone, or supplemented with GM-CSF, IL-4 (days 1–7) and TNF-α (days 5–7). Cells differentiated under these distinct culture conditions were analysed on day 7 by flow cytometry for the expression of CD11c and the maturation markers MHC class II (I-A), CD80, CD86 and CD40. Shown are representative dot blots of DCs (CD11c⁺) and secondary marker expression, gates depict double-positive subsets. Expression levels for these secondary markers are given as the mean fluorescence intensities (MFIs), and graphs depict means±s.e.m. of two independent experiments with n=5 Wt and n=5 C/EBPβ^−/− animals. (b) BM precursors were cultured for 7 days as in a. Distribution of myeloid subpopulations was analysed with flow cytometry. Gates within the histograms define differentiated myeloid DCs (CD11c⁺ CD11b⁺). Subsets of CD11c⁻ CD11b⁺ and CD11c⁻ Gr-1⁺ cells represent macrophage and granulocyte differentiation lineages, respectively; numbers indicate the frequencies of subsets within the gates. Representative dot plots are from two experiments with n=4 Wt and n=4 C/EBPβ^−/− animals.