Figure 5
(a,b) Representative images of the double immunolabeling for PDGFRα (green) and α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA; red) in the lamina propria (a) and in the smooth muscle layer (b). PDGFRα-immunoreactivity (IR) was observed around vascular smooth muscle cells labeled with αSMA-IR in the lamina propria (a). Vascular smooth muscle cells were indistinguishable from smooth muscle cells in the smooth muscle layer (b). (c,d): Representative images of the double immunolabeling for PDGFRα (green) and β3-tubulin (red) in the lamina propria (c) and in the smooth muscle layer (d). Nerves labeled with β3-tubulin were observed in close proximity to some PDGFRα-IR cells in the lamina propria and smooth muscle layer (c,d). (e,f) Representative images of the double immunolabeling for PDGFRα (green) and ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1; red) in the lamina propria (e) and in the smooth muscle layer (f). Macrophages labeled with Iba-1 were observed in close proximity to some PDGFRα-IR in the lamina propria and smooth muscle layer same as nerves and blood vessels (e,f). (g,h) Representative images of the double immunolabeling for PDGFRα (green) and c-Kit (red) in the lamina propria (g) and in the smooth muscle layer (h). c-Kit-IR was not observed in all the layers of the vas deferens except for mast cells (g,h). Scale bars: 20 µm (a–h).
