FIG. 1.

Representative epifluorescent images of rat MLV isolated from 3-mo (A, B), 9-mo (C, D), and 24-mo (E, F) Fischer-344 rats. Smooth muscle actin is stained in orange to indicate lymphatic muscle cells. CD31 is stained in green to indicate lymphatic endothelial cell junctions and therefore to delineate location of lymphatic valves. Lines located right to each image labeled by CD31 demonstrate locations of pre-valve (pre), valve, and post-valve (post) zones as they were defined on these images for subsequent analysis. Major histocompatibility complex II is stained in red to indicate antigen presenting cells. Scale bar represents 100 μm and applies to all images.