FIG. 2.

huEPC of nondiabetic, but not diabetic, origin integrate into degenerate vasculature in mouse eyes damaged by I/R injury (n = 20). huCD34⁺ cells were given by intravitreous injection (n = 10) or systemically (n = 10) 7 days after I/R injury. Two days later, animals were killed and perfused with rhodamine-conjugated dextran to examine vessel patency. Cells of diabetic origin (panel A) do not integrate into existing vasculature, whereas cells of nondiabetic origin (panel B) show extensive integration into small and medium sized vessels (yellow in the composite images). Images are z-series projections of two-color LSCM. Insets show separate red and green channels used to make the composite images. In panel C CD34⁺ cells home to an area of injury and traverse toward the ischemic region of the capillary (arrows). Panel D is a schematic representation of the image in panel C and depicts the nonperfused/acellular region as a hatched line in order to better visualize the process.