Fig. 4

Intrinsic function of B cells is preserved in chronically injured mice. a, b The frequency and number of splenic mature B cell subtypes in chronic SCI mice (SCI) are not statistically different from uninjured mice (CT). a Splenocytes from chronic SCI mice were isolated 7-week post-injury along with age-matched uninjured CT. Mature B cells were gated as CD19⁺IgM⁺AA4.1⁻CD43⁻ B cells and then further subdivided into follicular (FO, CD23⁺CD21⁺), marginal zone (MZ, CD23⁻CD21^hi), intermediate (Inter., CD23⁻CD21^lo), and age-associated B cells (ABC, CD23⁻CD21⁻). Data in the table represent the % of B cells in the different subsets (mean ± SEM, n = 4/group). b Bar graphs represent the total cell number for each subset of B cells (mean ± SEM, n = 4/group), calculated from the percentages obtained in A. c Functional in vitro assay on isolated splenic B cells from chronic SCI and uninjured CT mice. Cells were stimulated with anti-IgM and IL4 or left unstimulated. B cell activation was analyzed by the surface expression of CD86, CD40, and MHCII markers by flow cytometry, and the data is represented as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI)