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. 2011 Nov 16;6(11):e27743. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027743

Figure 3. Loss of NOTCH1 expression in proximity to calcific nodules in human aortic valves.

Figure 3

(A) Representative sections from control (A,B) and diseased (C-F) aortic valve cusps. (B) is high magnification image of boxed area in (A) and (D,E) are higher magnification of region in (C) while image in (F) shows another calcified aortic valve. Expression of Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD) is found in the thickened fibrosa of diseased aortic valve (C,E) as compared to the acellular fibrosa of control valves (A,B). However, there is significant loss of NICD expression in cells residing adjacent to calcific nodules (D,F). The fibrosa is oriented upward in all panels, and scale bars equal 100 microns (B,D,E,F are at same magnification). Brown signal represents NICD expression while nuclei are counterstained in blue.