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Fig. 1 | Respiratory Research

Fig. 1

From: Elevated expression of macrophage MERTK exhibits profibrotic effects and results in defective regulation of efferocytosis function in pulmonary fibrosis

Fig. 1

Lung macrophage efferocytosis function in IPF patients is not enhanced by elevated MERTK expression. A Efferocytosis (indicated by white arrowheads) of human lung macrophages under fluorescence microscope and ratio of macrophages that recognize and phagocytize CFSE + apoptotic bodies from A549 cells (HC, n = 10; IPF, n = 9). B Flow cytometry analysis of human lung macrophage efferocytosis. Lung macrophages were pre-gated on CD68 + area, ratio and capacity of macrophage efferocytosis were measured by CFSE-positive ratio (CFSE + /CFSE + CD68 +) and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CFSE, respectively (HC, n = 8; IPF, n = 7). C Flow cytometry analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential of human lung macrophages. Lung macrophages were pre-gated on CD68 + area, and their mean fluorescence intensities of JC-1 monomers (FITC) and aggregates (PE) were analyzed by flow cytometry (HC, n = 9; IPF, n = 9). D The mRNA expression of MERTK, CD36, Rac1 and Axl in human lung macrophages was detected by qRT-PCR (n = 6–20 samples per group). E Representative images and MFI of MERTK immunostaining in macrophages from lung sections of IPF patients and healthy controls (n = 5). Macrophages were indicated by white arrowheads. Scale bar = 50 μm. Data were presented as mean ± SEM. T-tests or Mann–Whitney tests were used for two-group (HC and IPF) comparions. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ****p < 0.0001; n.s., not significant

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