Figure 3

Characterization of renal EC dysfunction in vivo . ECs were double-stained for CD31 (red) and α-SMA marker (green) further to demonstrate the occurrence of endothelial dysfunction. In renal vessels of endotoxemic tissue (C, dotted white arrow), CD31⁺EC expressed α-SMA marker and migrated from the intima to the media of the vessel wall (E, zoomed image), in otherwise basal condition (A, dotted white arrow). In the interstitium of T9 control pig (A, B) CD31⁺/α-SMA⁺ cells were rarely detectable. After 9 hours from LPS infusion, the number of these cells increased dramatically within glomeruli (C, white arrows) and interstitium (D, white arrows). Zoomed image of EC (F) co-expressing CD31 and α-SMA in endotoxemic tissue. Results are expressed as median ± IQR of the numbers of CD31⁺/α-SMA⁺ cells/HPF of at least five independent pigs for each group (G). Magnification, 630×. To-pro 3 was used to counterstain nuclei (blue).