Immunofluorescence of bronchioalveolar stem cells (BASCs) in mouse lung tissue at D5, D7 and D14 (n=6)
(A) Representative images of BASC immunofluorescence staining; scale bar = 20 µm. BASCs are located in the terminal bronchioles and are positive for both pro-surfactant protein C (pro-SPC) and Club Cell 10 kD protein (CC10). (B) The number of BASCs was significantly increased in the term hAEC treated group at D7 and returned to the level comparable with the healthy controls at D14. However, no significant changes of BASC number were observed in the preterm hAEC-treated group across all the time points. Statistical significance was determined with one-way ANOVA accompanied by the Bonferroni post-hoc test. (*P<0.05, ****P<0.0001)