Fig. 1

GM-CSF treatment leads to impaired human EBI formation by decreasing CD163 expression. A Representative cytospin image of EBI formed between late-stage erythroblasts and control and GM-CSF pretreatment macrophages in vitro. B Quantitative analysis of the percentage of EBIs associated with different erythroblast numbers (0,1–2,3–4, ≥ 5). C Heatmap showing mRNA levels of CSF1R, CSF2RA, CSF2RB, and CSF3R as assessed by RNA-seq in distinct stages of erythroblasts and EBI macrophages. D QRT-PCR results showing mRNA levels of CSF1R, CSF2RA, CSF2RB, and CSF3R in distinct stages of erythroblasts and EBI macrophages. E QRT-PCR results showing mRNA levels of CD163, CD169, MAEA, and αV-integrin of control as well as GM-CSF pretreatment macrophages in vitro. *P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01 *** P < 0.001. N = 3