Figure 7.

Representative color-coded images of in vivo LDPI in rabbit sciatic nerve 8 weeks after VEGF-2 gene transfer or saline injection. Nerves were surgically exposed from the sciatic notch to the knee level before three repeated LDPI measurements were obtained. Lowest blood flow is indicated in blue, maximum blood flow in red, and intermediate grading in green and yellow. Nondiabetic saline-injected: perfusion of sciatic nerve in a normal, age-matched rabbit that underwent saline injection. Diabetic saline-injected: markedly reduced perfusion of sciatic nerve in a diabetic rabbit, 8 weeks after sham saline injection. Diabetic VEGF-2 gene transfer: substantial restoration of sciatic nerve perfusion in a diabetic rabbit 8 weeks after VEGF gene transfer.