Integrin α₄β₁–VCAM-1–mediated adhesion between endothelial and mural cells is required for blood vessel maturation
J. Clin. Invest. Barbara Garmy-Susini, et al. 115:1542 doi:10.1172/JCI23445 [Go to this article.]

Figure 5
VCAM-1–integrin α₄β₁ interactions govern EC–mural cell interactions. (A) CMTMR-labeled (red) SMCs adherent on endothelial monolayers after 90 minutes or 22 hours of coincubation. Arrows indicate ECs. (B) CMTMR-labeled VSMCs (red) adherent on endothelial monolayers in the presence of culture medium, anti–integrin α₄β₁ (HP1/2), anti–integrin α_vβ₅ (anti-α_vβ₅) (P1F6), or rsVCAM-1. Arrowheads indicate SMCs. (C) Quantification of attached SMCs per microscopic field. (D) Cryosections of chick CAMs treated with anti–integrin α_vβ₅ or anti–integrin α₄β₁ antibodies were immunostained to detect endothelia (anti–integrin α_vβ₃, green) and pericytes (anti-desmin, red). Representative vessels coated with mural cells are indicated by arrowheads. (E) Pericyte-coated vessels were quantified by counting integrin α_vβ₃⁺ desmin⁺ vessels per field (EC⁺PC⁺ vessels ± SEM). (F) Cryosections from bFGF-stimulated CAMs that were treated with saline, PS/2, or control antibodies (cIgG, M1/70). CAMs were immunostained to detect vWF expression (red) in blood vessels. Blood vessels are indicated by arrowheads. (G) vWF-positive vessels ± SEM per microscopic field quantified in replicate samples. Magnification in A, B, D, and F: ×200. *P = 0.001; **P = 0.0003; ***P = 0.0035.