Fig. 3. Immunofluorescence analysis of the adhesive and non-adhesive implant–tissue interfaces at different time points.
a,c,e, Representative immunofluorescence images of the non-adhesive implant collected on day 3 (a), day 7 (c) and day 14 (e) post-implantation on the abdominal wall. b,d,f, Representative immunofluorescence images of the adhesive implant collected on day 3 (b), day 7 (d) and day 14 (f) post-implantation on the abdominal wall. In immunofluorescence images, cell nuclei are stained with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI, blue); green fluorescence corresponds to the staining of fibroblasts (αSMA), neutrophils (neutrophil elastase) and macrophages (CD68, vimentin, CD206, iNOS); red fluorescence corresponds to the staining of T cells (CD3). Asterisks in images indicate the implant; white dashed lines in images indicate the implant–tissue interface; yellow dashed lines in images indicate either the mesothelium–fibrous capsule interface (non-adhesive implant) or the mesothelium–skeletal muscle interface (adhesive implant). g–i, Quantification of cell numbers in the collagenous layer at the implant–tissue interface over a representative width of 500 µm from the immunofluorescence images on day 3 (g), day 7 (h) and day 14 (i) post-implantation. Values in g–i represent the mean and the standard deviation (n = 3 implants; independent biological replicates). Statistical significance and P values were determined by two-sided unpaired t-tests; NS, not significant; *P < 0.05; **P ≤ 0.01; ***P ≤ 0.001. Scale bars, 20 μm (a,b,d,f), 40 μm (c,e).