Fig. 1: CLEC4F and TIM-4 serve as markers for identifying macrophage heterogeneity in VL.

a Top: Representative confocal microscopy images showing wild-type naïve, 19-, 42-, and 72-day infected livers stained with anti-F4/80 (cyan), anti-CLEC4F (white), and anti-TIM-4 (red). Bottom: Surface rendered F4/80⁺ cells classified according to their CLEC4F and TIM-4 expression, CLEC4F⁺TIM-4⁺ (yellow), CLEC4F^-TIM-4⁺ (red), CLEC4F⁺TIM-4^- (magenta), and CLEC4F^-TIM-4^- (cyan). Scale bars, 200 μm. b Frequency and number of F4/80⁺ cells classified according to their CLEC4F and TIM-4 expression, in naïve and infected mice at different days post-infection. Data pooled from 2 independent experiments (n = 6 for naïve and n = 7 for infected mice). c Granulomas identified in (a) are shown in the inset and were defined as clusters of F4/80⁺ cells with volumes greater than 1.03 × 10⁴ μm³. Scale bars, 40 μm. d Proportion of CLEC4F⁺ and/or TIM-4⁺ cells in F4/80⁺ granulomas at different times post-infection. Data pooled from 2 (19- and 72 d.p.i.) and 4 (42 d.p.i.) independent experiments (n = 7 for 19- and 72 d.p.i. and n = 15 for 42 d.p.i.). Values in (b and d) represent the mean ± SD. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.