Fig. 6

The total number of Tcf21GFP⁺ CFs is not altered, but fibrotic ECM gene expression is reduced, with loss of β-catenin in Tcf21 lineage CFs 4 weeks after TAC. a Representative images of Tcf21 ^MCM ;R26 ^mTmG ;Ctnnb1 ^fl/+ (Ctrl, top) and Tcf21 ^MCM ;R26 ^mTmG ;Ctnnb1 ^fl/fl (β-catenin LOF, bottom) with immunostaining for GFP (green) and collagen 1/3 (Col1/3, red) are shown. b GFP⁺ Tcf21 lineage CFs were isolated by FACS (fluorescence-actived cell sorting) and the number of GFP⁺ cells was quantified in Tcf21 ^MCM ;R26 ^mTmG ;Ctnnb1 ^fl/fl and control mice 4 weeks after TAC. c mRNA was isolated from sorted Tcf21 lineage GFP⁺ cells. Expression of Col1a1, Col3a1, and Postn was significantly lower in CFs from Tcf21 ^MCM ;R26 ^mTmG ;Ctnnb1 ^fl/fl mice compared to controls, but Fn1 and Acta2 was not changed as determined by quantitative PCR. Data points are shown with median and interquartile ranges indicated. Statistical significance was determined using unpaired Mann–Whitney U tests: *P < 0.05. N = 6 mice per groupFluorescence-actived cell sorting (FACS)