Figure 3

Complement activation induces PEC dysregulation and proliferation in response to protein-overload.

(A,B) Representative images showing claudin-1 (A, green) and NCAM (B, red) expression in WT (littermates of Cfh^−/− mice), Cfh^−/− and Bf^−/− mice injected with saline or BSA. Renal structure is stained with rhodamine (A, red) or FITC-WGA lectin (B, green). (C) Double immunofluorescence staining for claudin-1 (green) and nestin (red) in WT mice given saline and BSA and in Cfh^−/− mice treated with BSA. Insets display enlarged images of claudin-1⁺ PECs and nestin⁺ podocytes in the context of glomerular lesions. (D) Representative immunofluorescence images showing Ki-67-positive cells (red, arrows) in WT and Cfh^−/− mice injected with saline or BSA. Renal structure is counterstained with FITC-WGA lectin (green). Data information: Nuclei are counterstained with DAPI (blue). Scale bars: 20 μm.