Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum on gut barrier function in experimental obstructive jaundice

Figure 4 Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum on the apoptosis in the intestinal mucosal epithelium. A: Ileum sections from each group stained using the terminal deoxyuridine nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method. TUNEL-positive cells were stained dark brown. A significantly higher number of TUNEL-positive cells was detected in tissues from group II animals compared with group III; and the number of TUNEL-positive cells in group IV was higher than in group V. Images shown represent at least three regions observed on the same slide; B: Statistical evaluation of effects of Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) on the apoptosis in the intestinal mucosal epithelium. Data in the bar graph represent mean ± SD of a minimum of three slides per group. ^aP < 0.05 Group I vs Group II; ^cP < 0.05 Group II vs Group III; ^eP < 0.05 Group IV vs Group V. Group I : Sham-operation; Group II: Bile duct ligation (BDL); Group III: BDL + L. plantarum; Group IV: BDL + internal biliary drainage (IBD); Group V: BDL + IBD + L. plantarum.