Figure 4.
Conjugated MSs detect firmly adhering leukocytes. At 24 h after LPS treatment, Lewis rats were injected with MSs through the tail vein. At 30 min after MS injection, animals were perfused with PBS and rhodamine ConA to stain the vasculature and adherent leukocytes. Retinal and choroidal flatmounts of EIU animals were prepared. A) Ex vivo visualization of the accumulation of α-ICAM-1 + rPSGL-1 double-conjugated MSs in retina. Representative confocal laser micrograph depicts retinal flatmount of an EIU animal (3-D reconstruction of confocal sections, Supplemental Material). B) Ratio of MSs bound to leukocytes through number of MSs bound directly to endothelium (MSLeu/MStot) in retinal arteries, veins, or whole retinal vasculature. C) Ex vivo visualization of firmly adherent leukocytes in retinal vessels of EIU animals. Micrographs show vasculature and firmly adhering leukocytes in retinal arteries and veins of animals injected with α-ICAM-1 + rPSGL-1 double-conjugated MSs. D) Ratio of numbers of leukocytes bound with MS/total number of firmly adherent leukocytes (LeuMS/Leutot) in retinal arteries, veins, and whole retina. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01.