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. 2016 Dec 19;5(12):e004440. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.116.004440

Figure 1.

Figure 1

NK2 homeobox 5 (Nkx2‐5) expression in human normal vessels and atherosclerotic plaques. A, Immunofluorescence assay of Nkx2‐5 in internal mammary arteries (normal, upper) and atherosclerotic lesions of carotid arteries (plaque, lower). For colocalization analysis, sections were costained for Nkx2‐5 (green) and CD68 (red, macrophage marker), α‐SMA (red, smooth muscle cell marker), or von Willebrand Factor (vWF; red, endothelial marker). 4′,6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole (DAPI) was used for nucleus staining (blue). Arrows indicate Nkx2‐5 and cell‐specific marker double‐positive cells. B, Quantitative analysis of Nkx2‐5‐positive cells in (A). n=5 for each group. C, Western blot for Nkx2‐5 expression in human control vessels (saphenous vein and internal mammary artery) and carotid atherosclerotic plaques. n=12 for atherosclerotic plaques, 10 for internal mammary artery, and 14 for saphenous vein. HE indicates hematoxylin and eosin; α‐SMA, alpha‐smooth muscle actin.