Fig. 7

Flow cytometric analysis of mast cells in lung and BALF. a The protocol for gating mast cells (CD117⁺ FcεRIα⁺). b Flow cytometric identification of mast cells in single-cell suspensions of the BAL fluid (BALF) and lung parenchyma (Lung) of WT and Il9^−/−mice challenged with HDM and NS. Left: representative plots of CD117⁺ FcεRIα⁺ mast cells of indicated mice after gating out dead cells. Right: the percentages of mast cells in BALF and lung. And total number of mast cells in BALF and lung. c Flow cytometric analysis of mast cells expressing Ki67 in lung parenchyma. Left: representative plots of Ki67⁺mast cells of indicated mice. Right: the percentages and absolute number of Ki67⁺mast cells in lung parenchyma. Bars show the mean ± SEM (n = 3 in each group). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001