Figure 6

Mesenchymal stem cells infusion normalizes OSA-induced morphological vascular remodelling. Representative haematoxylin-eosin stained aortic sections from Sham rats injected with saline vehicle (Sham + S) and OSA rats injected with mesenchymal stem cells (OSA + M) (a). Aortic wall thickness (µm, b), lumen diameter (mm, c), percentage of wall to lumen ratio (% WT/L, d) from sham rats injected with saline vehicle (Sham + S, n = 6, white columns) and from OSA rats injected with mesenchymal stem cells (OSA + M, n = 5, blue columns). Representative elastin autofluorescence images from aorta wall from Sham + S and OSA + M rats (e). Number of fiber ruptures indexed for area (mm²) in Sham + S (n = 8, white columns) and OSA + M (n = 7, blue columns) groups (f). Number of elastic fibers relative to each aorta section in the same samples as in F (g).