FIG. 1.

(A) Epicardial and (B) transmural surface of one half of a 2-week ECM patch. (C) Diagram indicating how the patch region is sectioned along the plane parallel with the transmural surface. (D) Mosaic image of 2-week patch cross section stained with Masson's trichrome with myocyte regions outlined with dotted yellow lines. Green circles indicate suture locations, and red lines indicate the computed patch boundaries such that the region within the red lines is the patch region. The normal myocardium is only seen on the far ends of the image. The fibrotic region (blue) appears to localize with the area where the cross clamp was placed at the time of patch implantation. The red region in the center of the image appears to consist mostly of blood clots, with few myocytes in this region. The myocytes were mostly found surrounded by fibrotic tissue in the implantation zone. (E) Three-dimensional reconstruction of the patch region where neighboring myocardium is indicated by blue, myocyte regions within patch boundary are red, and nonmyocyte scar regions are translucent green.