Ectopic miR-146a expression drives differentiation of HSC into peritoneal macrophages in vivo. (A) Representative FACS plots showing CD11b, F4/80, CD115, MHC-II, CD68, and CD3 expression within the GFP⁺ donor cell gates of peritoneal washouts from recipient mice that received transplantations with miR-146a (pre-miR-146a-GFP, solid black line) or empty vector (GFP, shaded gray line)–transduced LSK cells for 6-8 weeks. (B) Statistical analysis of FACS phenotypes of GFP⁺ donor-derived peritoneal cells (n = 6). **P < .001 by Mann Whitney U test. (C) Wright-Giemsa staining of cytospin preparations from FACS-purified GFP⁺ cells of peritoneal washouts of mice transplanted with control (GFP) or miR-146a–transduced LSK cells. The scale bar represents 10 μm. (D) In vivo phagocytosis capability was measured with FACS after IP challenge for 18 hours with UV-labeled latex beads. IP-challenged mice were transplanted with miR-146a (solid black line) or control (GFP, gray line)–transduced LSK cells for 6-8 weeks previously. Unstained control cells are depicted with a shaded gray line. (E) Quantification of ectopic miR-146a expression in GFP⁺ donor cells from peritoneal washouts of recipient mice transplanted with control or miR-146a–transduced LSK cells. Bars show the miR-146a qRT-PCR values in total RNA samples analyzed compared with U6 RNA. **P < .001 by Student t test. Error bars indicate SD.