Fig. 3

The pathological features of C57BL/6 mice during S. japonicum infection. WT and TLR3 KO mice were infected with 40 ± 5 cercariae of S. japonicum. Six weeks after the infection, the mice were euthanized. A The gross appearance of the three groups were observed. B Sections of the liver were staining by HE (original magnification × 100 for upper panels and × 400 for lower panels). The bar represents 100 μm in the upper panels and it represents 25 μm in the lower panels. C Granulomas size were calculated by computer-assisted morphometric analysis. About 100 granulomas per for each group were measured under a microscope and analysed using DP-2BSW software (Olympus, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan). D The absolute number of non-parenchymal liver cells from non-infected, infected WT and KO mice are shown. E Peripheral blood was collected and the numbers of white blood cells, red blood cells, platelet and the content of Hemoglobin were analyzed. F The levels of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT) and glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (AST) in serum were detected. G The relative titers of anti-SEA IgG and anti-SEA IgM in the serum of non-infected and infected WT and KO mice are shown. (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01)