Abundant progenitor cells in the adventitia contribute to atherosclerosis of vein grafts in ApoE-deficient mice
J. Clin. Invest. Yanhua Hu, et al. 113:1258 doi:10.1172/JCI19628 [Go to this article.]

Figure 8
Sca-1⁺/ROSA26 cell transfer to vein grafts in mice. Sca-1⁺ cells cultivated from the adventitia of ROSA26/ApoE^_/_ (A) and ApoE^_/_ (B) mice were stained with X-gal. Irradiated vena cava of the mouse was removed and grafted into carotid arteries of ApoE^_/_ mice. Sca-1⁺ (C, D, and E) or Sca-1^_ (F) cells (10⁵) were applied onto the adventitia to envelop the vein grafts. Animals were sacrificed 4 weeks after surgery, and the grafted tissue fragments were sectioned and stained with X-gal. For cell counting, Hoechst counterstain was used. C and E represent the adventitial area of the grafted tissue. D and F focus on the neointimal and medial layers. Note β-gal⁺ cells, stained blue. Arrows indicate the border of the neointima and media. (G) The graphic data are means (± SEM) of five animals per group. *Significant difference in intimal lesions between Sca-1⁺ and Sca-1^_ group, P < 0.001. **Significant difference in the adventitia between Sca-1⁺ and Sca-1^_ group, P < 0.001.