Figure 5.
Second-harmonic generation. Arterial sections shown in the axial plane for representative (a) carotid arteries (top: control panel and bottom: placental insufficiency–induced intrauterine growth restriction (PI-IUGR) panel; bar = 100 µm) with autofluorescence of collagen (red) and elastin (green). Qualitative images show that, as compared with the control vessels (1) (bar = 100 µm), PI-IUGR (2) arteries exhibited disrupted extracellular matrix (ECM) organization with media of fewer elastic lamellae, or elastin bands, per area. As compared with the control arteries (3) (bar = 100 µm), the external elastic lamina and adventitia of the PI-IUGR (4) arteries exhibited more elastin that was less organized and more fragmented, and increased collagen. Representative (b) umbilical arteries (top: control panel and bottom: PI-IUGR panel; bar = 200 µm) show that, as compared with the control vessels (1) (bar = 100 µm), PI-IUGR (2) arteries exhibited disrupted ECM organization with media of fewer elastic lamellae per area. As compared with the control arteries (3) (bar = 100 µm), the external media of the PI-IUGR (4) arteries exhibited more elastin that was less organized and more fragmented, and increased collagen.