Figure 7.

VEGF neutralization results in reduced mitochondria and disrupted ultrastructure. A) Electron micrograph of brown adipocytes showing abundant mitochondria, lipid droplets (LD), and a nearby vessel (L). BAT of sFlt1-expressing mice revealed reduced number of mitochondria and a majority of the mitochondria showed obvious signs of degeneration, such as incomplete or involuting cristae (red arrowhead) or complete lack of cristae (yellow asterisks). Mitochondria in the BAT of control mice were typical of functional brown adipocytes: they were numerous and densely packed, with complete double membranous cristae. High magnification depicted in bottom panel. B) Average number of mitochondria per field indicates a significant decrease in the number of mitochondria in sFlt1-expressing mice. Scale bars = 500 nm; P = 0.00007.