Fig. 1

Laser capture microdissection of the mucus, fibrotic honeycomb, fibrotic uninvolved and non-fibrotic airway cell controls. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens were serially sectioned at 5 microns and stained with alcian blue/periodic acid Schiff’s (AB/PAS) stain or Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E). A A representative image of laser capture microdissection in one fibrotic specimen. AB/PAS (Top left) or H&E (the other 5 panels). Mucus (purple) was visualized with AB/PAS stain; notice how the mucin lines the inner airway consistent with these cells producing mucin centrally into the airspace [red arrows]. We individually captured the mucus and fibrotic honeycomb airway cells for mass spectrometry preparation. B In the same fibrotic patient, we found uninvolved airways in the morphologically intact regions of the fibrotic lung and captured the airway cells for mass spectrometry preparation (notice how the mucus plug is left behind depicted with red asterisk). C A representative image of laser capture microdissection of a non-fibrotic airway control captured for mass spectrometry preparation. Scale bar represents 100 microns