Fig. 2
Effect of AFSC therapy on renal function and histology in rats with cisplatin-induced ARF. a Levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and b serum creatinine measured in healthy controls, saline-treated and AFSC-treated ARF rats on days 5, 8, and 12 after cisplatin injection. Values are expressed as mean ± SE (*p < 0.001 versus healthy control group; #p < 0.05 versus saline-treated group). c Kidney section of healthy control rat showing normal architecture of tubules and glomeruli (scale bar, 50 μm). d Kidney section after 5 days of cisplatin injection showing tubular dilatation (asterisk), necrotic tubules (black arrowhead), intra-tubular cast (white arrowhead), and loss of brush border (black arrow) (scale bar, 50 μm). e Magnified image of the boxed area in d showing necrotic tubules (black arrowhead) (scale bar, 30 μm). f Kidney section of saline-treated ARF rat on day 8 after cisplatin injection showing severe tubular dilatation (asterisk), loss of brush border (black arrow), intra-tubular cast (white arrowhead), and necrotic tubules (black arrowhead) (scale bar, 50 μm). g Magnified image of the boxed area in f showing necrotic tubules (black arrowhead) (scale bar, 30 μm). h Kidney section of AFSC-treated ARF rat on day 8 after cisplatin injection showing signs of recovery as revealed by mild tubular dilatation (asterisk) and fewer necrotic tubules (black arrowhead) and intra-tubular cast (white arrowhead) (scale bar, 50 μm). i Kidney section of saline-treated ARF rat on day 12 after cisplatin injection showing few intratubular hyaline casts (white arrowhead), tubular dilatation (asterisk), loss of brush border (black arrow), and necrotic tubules (black arrowhead) (scale bar, 50 μm). j Magnified image of the boxed area in i showing necrotic tubules (black arrowhead) (scale bar, 30 μm). k Kidney section of AFSC-treated rats on day 12 after cisplatin injection showing almost normal architecture of the tubules and preservation of the integrity of the cellular structure (scale bar, 50 μm). l Jablonski grading score for the assessment of renal tubular cell necrosis in saline- and AFSC-treated kidneys on day 8 and day 12 after cisplatin injection. Values expressed as mean ± SE (*p < 0.05 versus saline-treated group)