Lack of Intestinal Epithelial Atg7 Affects Paneth Cell Granule Formation but Does Not Compromise Immune Homeostasis in the Gut
Figure 1
Gut characteristics in unchallenged control and Atg7IEC-KO mice. (a) Western blot of proteins derived from unchallenged control and Atg7IEC-KO mice demonstrating lack of Atg7 in isolated intestinal epithelial cells of colon and ileum from Atg7IEC-KO mice. Other tissues of Atg7IEC-KO mice display normal Atg7 expression (lung is shown as an example). Actin serves as an internal control. (b) Western blot of proteins extracted from isolated IECs of unchallenged control and Atg7IEC-KO mice demonstrating deficient autophagy in Atg7-deficient IECs (indicated by lack of the LC3-II form). Actin serves as an internal control. (c) Representative pictures from colonoscopic video analysis using normal colonoscopy (left) and chromocolonoscopy with methylene blue (right) to visualize crypt structures. (d) Representative pictures of paraffin-embedded ileum and colon cross sections stained with H & E. (e) Statistical analysis of distal ileum villi and crypts. Data show mean values of length and width + SEM ( control villi, Atg7IEC-KO villi, control crypts, Atg7IEC-KO crypts).
