Figure 3

Histological analysis and the relative expression of the collagen proportionate area. Histological analysis was evaluated by MTC (A, B), α-SMA (C, D), and Picrosirius Red staining (E, F). BM-MSC treatment induced an improvement of cirrhosis from F4C (A, C, E) to F4A (B, D, F) according to the Laennec fibrosis scoring system. Untreated cirrhotic group (A, C) show cirrhosis with at least one broad septum with minute nodules (F4C) and BM-MSC treated group (B, D) show cirrhosis with marked septation with rounded contours or visible large nodules (F4A). Picrosirius Red staining of a section from a liver biopsy specimen showed a change in collagen proportion stained as red from untreated cirrhotic group (E) to BM-MSC treated group (F). The relative area of collagen stained by Picrosirius Red was analyzed with an image analysis program (G). The percentage of the collagen proportionate area decreased from 16.72 ± 5.51 to 5.06 ± 1.27 after BM-MSC treatment (P <0.01). (Magnifications ± 100). Values are expressed as means ± SD. *P <0.01.