Figure 8. Computerized-assisted quantifications of lymphatic vasculature in the draining sentinel LNs.

Quantitative analyses were performed on immunolabeled control and pre-metastatic SLN sections from LNs resected after 2 weeks of sponge implantation (a–d), and on immunolabeled control and metastatic SLN dissected after 4 weeks (e–h) of sponge insertion. (a,e) The LN tissue section size (mm²) in control SLN (red bar), pre-metastatic SLN (blue bar) and metastatic SLN (green bar). (b,f) The lymphatic vessel density (LVD). (c,g) The lymphatic vessels’ spatial distribution curves from the LN border (distance = 0). (d,h) The histogram corresponds to the number of lymphatic vessel sections at a distance of 0.4 mm from the border of LN. Results are expressed as mean ± SEM, and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney significance test was used to compare the averaged parameter values measured for the different groups, *p < 0.05, n = 12 LNs per group (6 mice/group).