Research Article

Follistatin, an Activin Antagonist, Ameliorates Renal Interstitial Fibrosis in a Rat Model of Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction

Figure 2

Effects of follistatin on fibrotic changes in kidneys after UUO. (a) Histological changes in kidneys after UUO were assessed by PAS staining. (A, D) contralateral kidneys, 7 days. (B, E) saline-treated UUO kidneys, 7 days. (C, F) follistatin-treated UUO kidneys, 7 days. Magnification: ×100 (A–C), ×400. (b) Fibrotic changes in kidneys after UUO were assessed by Masson-trichrome staining. (A, C) saline-treated UUO kidneys, 7 days. (B, D) follistatin-treated UUO kidneys, 7 days. Magnification: ×100 (A, B), ×400 (C, D). (c) Semiquantitative analysis of fibrotic changes in UUO kidneys. Fibrotic score was measured as described in Section 2. Data are presented as mean ± SE ( ). Saline (white bars), follistatin (black bars). versus saline.
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