Fig. 5

MKPC injection preserves capillary density and prevents EndoMT in five-sixths nephrectomized mice. a–c Capillary rarefaction occurs in five-sixths nephrectomized mice treated with saline a, but MKPC injection preserves capillary density b at 17 weeks after establishment of chronic kidney injury. Scale bar: 50 μm. d–i Confocal microscopy demonstrates α-SMA (red) and CD31 (green) staining in 17-week nephrectomized mice. Arrows indicate α-SMA and CD31 double-positive cells in the capillaries. EndoMT occurs in the interstitium of cortex and cortico-medullary junction from five-sixths nephrectomized mice treated with saline. The MKPC injection prevents EndoMT. Scale bar: 50 μm h, 20 μm i. α-SMA alpha-smooth muscle actin, Junction cortico-medullary junction of the kidney, MKPC mouse kidney progenitor-like cells, Saline five-sixths nephrectomized mice treated with saline