Fig 2. Morphology and morphometric analyses of sectioned arteries stented for 4 weeks.

Representative HE-stained sections of arteries with stents eluting 0 (A), 30 (B) or 300 μg 6-MP (C). HE staining at low (D) and high (E) magnification with adventitia (a), media (m) and intima (i); strut holes are indicated by (s). Lawson-Van Gieson staining clearly reveals the lamina and thus the different layers of the vessel wall (F). The outer diameter of the stented arteries (G) was measured and found to be highly similar within and between the groups, indicating high reproducibility of stent implantation and expansion. The injury score was low in all stents and similar between groups (H). Lumen stenosis (I) was significantly different across the groups (Jonkheere’s independent samples trend test), with 16% reduction of stenosis in the 300 μg 6-MP eluting stents compared with the polymer-only group (Mann-Whitney U test). N = 10 for 0 and 30 μg, N = 9 for 300 μg. * depicts value that is statistically different from other groups. Error bars represent standard error.