Accelerated apoptosis in the Timp-3–deficient mammary gland
J. Clin. Invest. Jimmie E. Fata, et al. 108:831 doi:10.1172/JCI13171 [Go to this article.]

Figure 3
(a and b) Hoescht stain revealed numerous apoptotic bodies (yellow arrow) within lumens of Timp-3–null mammary glands at 1di, compared with markedly less in wild-type lumens at 1di. (c and d) Many apoptotic bodies were evident at 3di within still-existing lumens of wild-type tissue. In contrast, at 3di, few lumens existed in Timp-3–deficient tissue, and apoptotic cells were less abundant. (e) Quantification of apoptosis in involuting mammary glands from both genotypes revealed clear differences in the rate of cell death. The amount of apoptosis in wild-type tissue during mammary gland involution peaked at 3di. In contrast, apoptosis peaked at 1di in Timp-3–null mammary gland, with successive decreases thereafter. Significant differences in the amount of apoptosis between involuting wild-type and Timp-3–deficient mammary glands were found at 1di and 3di. *P < 0.05. The total amount of apoptosis from 10L to 7di did not significantly differ between wild-type and Timp-3–deficient mammary glands. Images and quantifications are derived from the area immediately distal to the lymph node. Scale bar in a–d, 50 μm.