Fig. 1: ATII cells from bleomycin-treated mice show impaired transdifferentiation.

A Representative immunofluorescence images of primary murine ATII cells harvested at 14 days after PBS or bleomycin administration and kept in culture for the indicated time points. ATII and ATI cells were stained for Pro-Spc (green) and Rage (red), respectively. Nuclei were counterstained with Hoechst (blue). B Quantification of the transdifferentiation of ATII into ATI cells, shown as the ratio between Rage⁺ at the indicated time point and Pro-Spc⁺ cells at day 2. C Representative immunofluorescence images of primary murine ATII cells harvested at 30 days after PBS or bleomycin administration and kept in culture for the indicated time points. ATII and ATI cells were stained for Pro-Spc (green) and Rage (red), respectively. Nuclei were counterstained with Hoechst (blue). D Quantification of the transdifferentiation of ATII into ATI cells, shown as the ratio between Rage⁺ at the indicated time point and Pro-Spc⁺ cells at day 2. E Representative immunofluorescence images of primary murine ATII cells harvested at 60 days after PBS or bleomycin administration and kept in culture for the indicated time points. ATII and ATI cells were stained for Pro-Spc (green) and Rage (red), respectively. Nuclei were counterstained with Hoechst (blue). F Quantification of the transdifferentiation of ATII into ATI cells, shown as the ratio between Rage⁺ at the indicated time point and Pro-Spc⁺ cells at day 2. G–I Real-time PCR quantification of the expression levels of the ATI cell marker Ager (gene coding for Rage) by ATII cells harvested at 14 (G), 30 (H) and 60 (I) days after PBS or bleomycin administration and kept in culture for the indicated time points. Data are normalized on Gapdh. Scale bar in A, C, E, 100 μm. Data in B, D, F, G, H, and I are shown as mean ± S.E.M (n ≥ 3). Statistical significance was determined using two-way ANOVA, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ****P < 0.0001.