FIG. 4.
Selective coronary artery repopularization of the coronary artery tissue-flap model I. Live/Dead assay of coronary perfusion cell-seeded coronary artery tissue flaps (3T3, 5×105 cells mL−1) showed highly vital cells lining the complete coronary artery vessel system from the epicardial branches of up to ca. 250-μm vessel diameter down to the capillary system and reaching the edge of the tissue flaps. (A–D) Representative bright field and fluorescent images of repopulated main and capillary vessels stained by live/dead staining of the cell bodies via calcein-AM and ethidiumhomodimer showing highly vital cells inside the vessel perimeters. (D) Bottom right corner showing repopulated vessels reaching the edge of the tissue flap. (E–H) Representative confocal microscope z-stack overlays (z=60–120 μm) of repopulated main and single-cell capillary-like vessels stained by live/dead staining of the cell nuclei via SYBR-Green and PI showing highly vital cells inside the 3D vessel perimeters. Vital cells, green; nonvital cells, red. Color images available online at www.liebertpub.com/tec