Fig. 5

In vitro T-cell exhaustion and proliferation. The top row shows the expression of the surface exhaustion marker “killer cell lectin-like receptor G1” (KLRG) as determined by flow cytometry for CD4 (a) and CD8 (b) T-cells (n = 41, 42, 42 and 41). The bottom four graphs show the results of a 7 days in vitro stimulation of PBL with the mitogen PHA. Middle row depicts the percent of CD4 (c) and CD8 (d) T-cells which divided at least once or more (n = 41, 39, 35 and 39). Bottom row represents the results for the average number of cell divisions for CD4 (e) and CD8 (f) T-cells after a 7 day in vitro assay with PHA (n = 41, 39, 35 and 39). The horizontal mark indicates the median of each group: able bodied controls <60 years (yCtr), SCI < 60 years (ySCI), able bodied controls ≥60 years (oCtr) and SCI ≥ 60 years (oSCI). Significant differences are indicated as *: p < 0.05 and *** p < 0.001