The Adverse Effects of Thyrotropin Absence on Pancreatic β Cell Function in Mice

Figure 1

(a, b) TSHR expression in mouse pancreatic islets. (a) TSHR (green) was expressed on the membrane of insulin-secreting cells (red) in the Tshr^+/+ mouse (). (b) No TSHR was detected in β cells of the Tshr^-/- mouse () as observed by laser scanning confocal microscopy; bar = 30 μm. (c, d) Pancreas microstructures of Tshr^+/+ mice (c, ) and Tshr^-/- mice (d, , stained with H&E, ×400). Three sections were chosen for each animal, and 10 visual fields were observed in each section. (e–h) Double immunofluorescence staining of insulin and TSHR in MIN6 cells. (e) Insulin-immunoreactive MIN6 cells (red). (f) TSHR-immunoreactive MIN6 cells (green). (g) Blue is DAPI counterstaining. (h) Merged images in (e), (f), and (g) show cells double-positive for insulin and TSHR. Bar = 20 μm.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(g)

(h)