Fig. 7

Transplantation of rectal organoids a Schematic diagram demonstrating pelvic irradiation and organoid transplantation time line. b Histogram demonstrating significant presence of tdT cell containing microscopic fields (positive fields) in transplanted mice rectal epithelium compared to non-transplanted control (p < 0.0005, Mann-Whitney test, n = 4 mice (5–7 fields were counted per mice)). c Confocal microscopic image of rectal epithelium receiving transplanted organoids. Please note presence of GFP+ve (green) and tdTomato (red) cells in transplanted rectum suggesting presence of transplanted cells from Lgr5-eGFP-IRES-CreERT2; Rosa26-CAG-tdTomato mice rectal organoid. Merged figure demonstrated co-expression of Lgr5+GFP and reporter tdTomato. d HE staining demonstrated rectal epithelial repair in transplanted mice compared to non-transplanted control. e Measurement of body weight in mice receiving PIR with/without organoid transplant. Significant improvement in body weight was noted in mice receiving organoid transplant. f Representative Ki67 immunofluorescence staining of mice rectum section. Note the increase in Ki67-positive cells (stained red, indicated with arrow) in mice receiving organoid transplant. g Histogram showing mean Ki67-positive cells per crypt. Organoid transplantation significantly increases Ki67-positive cells compared to untreated control (p < 0.002, Mann-Whitney test). h Representative TUNEL staining of mice rectum section. Note the decrease in TUNEL-positive cells (stained red, indicated with arrow) in mice receiving organoid transplant. i Histogram showing mean TUNEL-positive cells per crypt. Organoid transplantation significantly decrease TUNEL-positive cells compared to untreated control (p < 0.0001, Mann-Whitney test)