FIGURE 5:

MAP kinase signaling, but not PI3K, is required for capillary-like network formation. Cocultures of HUVECs (A) and HDMVECs (B) with PaSMCs were treated with the PI3Kinase inhibitor wortmannin (0.5 μM), the MEK1 inhibitor PD-98059 (10 μM), and the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 (10 μM) for 3 d. Cultures were imaged by fluorescence microscopy, and tube total length was quantified. Results are represented as fold change relative to control. PD-98059 and U0126 inhibited network formation significantly in both cell types, whereas wortmannin showed no significant inhibitory effect. Asterisk indicates significant differences from control (set to 100%). *p < 0.05, n = 5.