Figure 4
Therapeutic angiogenesis capacity of SMC-derived ECs in the mouse hindlimb ischemic model and the construction of tissue-engineering vascular grafts with SMC-CD34-ECs. (a) SMC-CD34-ECs, SMCs or PBS were intramuscular injected into mice ischemic hindlimb. Representative images from laser Doppler imaging exhibited that SMC-CD34-ECs injection group had a better blood flow recovery after 2 weeks. The colour scale from blue to red indicates the increase in blood flow. Quantification analysis of blood flow ratio showed significantly higher foot blood flow recovery with SMC-CD34-ECs treated group (***p < 0.001, n = 6). (b) Sections of ischemic area adductors muscles were immunofluorescence stained with CD31 antibody. SMC-CD34-ECs injection group showed significant clearer capillary structures compared with control cell injection group. Capillary density was quantified as the capillary number per mm2 (*p < 0.01, n = 6). (c) The incorporation of human origin SMC-CD34-ECs with in situ neovascularization was confirmed by human specific CD31 immunostaining. (d) Decellularized mouse aorta graft double seeded with SMC-CD34-ECs and SMCs showed vessel-like structures after maintained in ex vivo bioreactor setting for 5 days (Scale bar: 50 μm).
