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. 2016 Sep 2;11(9):e0162144. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162144

Fig 2. Animal models.

Fig 2

a) Experimental setup of animal models to mimic NCIPH. The experimental setup of weekly embolized, single embolized and control rats is shown as timeline from start of experiments until the end of experiments after 3 additional weeks. PP measurements are marked as thin arrows and were always performed before embolization, marked by dots. Hemodynamic assessments at the end of experiments are marked as bold arrows. b) Hepatic hydroxyproline content. The hydroxyproline content was evaluated in rat livers of all groups at the end of experiment. Livers of weekly embolized rats showed increased hydroxyproline content compared to singe embolized and control rats. The results are shown as hydroxyproline content in μg/g liver. c) Hepatic αSMA stainings. After αSMA stainings of all rat livers, most microspheres were found in weekly embolized rat livers, marked with red circles. Fewer microspheres were found in single embolized rat livers, whereas no microspheres were present in livers of control rats. Liver specimens were stained with αSMA to detect activated HSC in rats. The activation of HSC was increased in livers of single embolized but most in rat livers after weekly embolization. d) Quantification of hepatic αSMA staining in rats. αSMA stainings were quantified in liver specimens of control, single and weekly embolized rats. The αSMA staining was significantly increased in weekly embolized hepatic specimens compared to single embolized and control liver specimens of rats. e) Hepatic αSMA and Desmin protein expressions in rats. The protein expression levels of αSMA and Desmin in livers of control, single and weekly embolized rats were investigated by quantifications of western blots. Weekly embolized rats showed the most expression levels of αSMA and Desmin. All results were normalized to control values. Below, illustration of representative western blots of αSMA and Desmin expression levels in livers of control, single and weekly embolized rats are shown. The housekeeping gene GAPDH was used as loading control. *p<0.05 / **p<0.005 / ***p<0.0001 vs. control; #/###p<0.05/0.0001 vs. single embolization.