Skip to main content
. 2016 Oct 10;126(11):4174–4186. doi: 10.1172/JCI86623

Figure 7. Spontaneous EMT cancer cells are essential for pericyte coverage and integrity of tumor vasculature.

Figure 7

NeuT tumor cells were infected with lentiviral control vector or SMA-DTA to eliminate EMT cells, and orthotopically injected into mice. Statistical differences were determined by 2-tailed Student’s t test. (A) Pericyte coverage in tumor sections was determined by immunostaining of pericytes with anti-NG2 antibody and ECs with anti-MECA32 antibody. Scale bars: 50 μm. Histograms (right) of pericyte coverage and vessel density in control and SMA-DTA neuT tumors. Error bars represent SD (n = 5). **P < 0.01. (B) Tumor vascular permeability was visualized by intravenously infusing tumor-bearing mice with FITC-dextran dye (green). Tumor sections were stained for ECs with anti-CD34 antibody. Scale bars: 100 μm. Quantification of relative vascular leakiness is on the right. Error bars represent SD (n = 4). **P < 0.01. (C) Growth rate of control and SMA-DTA neuT tumors. Tumor volumes were measured at indicated time points. Error bars represent SD (n = 5). *P < 0.05. (D) A schematic model for the behavior and function of EMT carcinoma cells in tumor growth.