Similar results were found using the Caplan score (Fig. 2B), assessing for histological NEC manifestation: animals that received G-CSF (Fig. 2E, middle) presented with significantly more tissue damage and higher Caplan scores than controls (p = 0.018, Fig. 2E, left), confirming the increase in NEC manifestation in animals subjected to G-CSF injections. This evidence concerns the gene CSF3 and necrotizing enterocolitis.