Fig. 5: FGF18 increases the number of CD31⁻CD34⁺ stromal cells.

a GO enrichment analysis of the RNA-seq results of the whole livers of 8-week-old non-Tg and Fgf18 Tg mice (n = 3 mice). b Heatmap showing Z score scaled expression levels of representative genes in the indicated categories. c, d Genes upregulated more than 2-fold in the livers of Cflar^LKO mice vs. Cflar^FF mice fed the CDE diet for 4 weeks and Fgf18 Tg mice vs. non-Tg mice were extracted and analyzed by the COUNTIF function. A Venn diagram of the upregulated genes in the livers of mice and representative overlapping genes (c). GO enrichment analysis of overlapping genes upregulated in both groups is shown (d). e–h Characterization of CD31^-CD34⁺ cells. Liver nonparenchymal cells were prepared and analyzed by flow cytometry gated on CD45^- cells as in Supplementary Fig. 7g (e, left panel) and the percentage of each cell population among CD45- cells was calculated (f). Results are mean ± SE (n = 4 mice). The expression (e, right panel) and the percentages (g) of each cell population among CD31⁻CD34⁺ cells were calculated and are shown. Results are mean ± SE (n = 3 mice). Gene expression in CD31⁻CD34⁺ cells vs. CD31⁺ cells (h). CD31⁺ and CD31⁻CD34⁺ cells were sorted as in Supplementary Fig. 8a. Expression of the indicated genes in the sorted cells was analyzed by qPCR. Results are mean ± SE (n = 3 mice). i–l Lrat⁺ and desmin⁺ cells are increased in the livers of Fgf18 Tg mice. Liver tissue sections from 8-week-old non-Tg and Fgf18 Tg mice were analyzed by RNAscope (i, j) or IHC (k, l). Scale bar, 100 μm. The Lrat⁺ or desmin⁺ areas were calculated and are expressed as Lrat⁺ or desmin⁺ areas per FOV. Results are mean ± SE (j, n = 3 mice; l, n = 5 mice). Statistical significance was determined by one-sided Fisher’s exact test (a, d), or the two-tailed unpaired Student’s t test. Representative results of four (e, left panel), three (e, right panel), and two (h) independent experiments. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.