Figure 6. 5ML treatment induces arteriogenesis in the peri-infarction and infarction area of rat hearts after MI and activates the migration ability of smooth muscle cells as well as endothelial cells.

Figure 6A shows the quantification of the capillary density in the infarction and peri-infarction area on HE stained heart sections (n = 7 per group). Representative images of capillaries in the infraction area are shown in Figure 6B (black arrows; magnification 100×). Quantitative image analysis of the arteriole density in the peri-infarction and infarction area of all animals (n = 7 per group) are shown in Figure 6C and representative images of arterioles in the infarction area are shown in Figure 6D (black arrows; magnification 63×). The effect of 5ML in an in vitro wound scratch assay with HUVECs and SMCs is depicted in Figure 6E (data are expressed as% scratch closure after 6 hours). The in vitro experiments were performed in triplicates. Asterisks indicate significant differences (* p<0.05; ** p<0.01) compared to the corresponding controls or control group.