2.5 Histopathological analysis and lung injury scoring
Mouse lung samples were fixed in a 4% paraformaldehyde solution,
followed by dehydration and embedding in paraffin. The samples were then
sectioned into 5 μm thick slices. These sections were then stained with
hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) for microscopic evaluation of morphological
alterations of lung tissues and lung injury severity was quantified
using a scoring system. This system rated alveolar edema, congestion,
inflammatory infiltration, and interstitial thickening on a scale from 0
(normal) to 4 (diffuse involvement), with increasing scores denoting
escalating lesion area within the field of view. The aggregated scores
from these categories facilitated comparative analysis between groups.