Fig. 1
From: Pericytes regulate VEGF-induced endothelial sprouting through VEGFR1
Temporally controlled pericyte depletion. a Experimental scheme of tamoxifen and diphtheria toxin (DT) administration to postnatal DTR iPC mice. b Confocal images showing P6 retina whole-mounts stained with isolectin B4 (IB4, red), collagen IV (colIV, white) and PDGFRβ (green). Note reduction of PDGFRβ+ cells at the DTR iPC angiogenic front. Scale bar, 100 µm. c High-magnification confocal images of the desmin (green) and IB4 (red) stained peripheral vasculature in the P6 DTR iPC and littermate control retina. Note extended morphology of desmin+ intermediate filaments in residual DTR iPC perivascular cells. Scale bar, 100 µm. d Maximum intensity projections of P6 control and DTR iPC retinas stained for NG2 (green) and IB4 (red). Images in the two right columns show higher magnifications of insets representing angiogenic front (AF, white dashed squares) and central plexus (CP, yellow-dashed squares), respectively. Scale bar, 200 µm (images on the left) and 100 µm (higher magnifications). e Quantitation of pericyte (PC) coverage in the control and DTR iPC angiogenic front and capillary plexus, as indicated. Error bars, s.e.m. p-values, Student’s t-test
