Fig 11. Cx47 subtly regulates atherosclerotic plaque composition.

Plaque composition was determined in the aortic roots of 15 month-old Cx47^+/+Apoe^-/- (white bars) and Cx47^-/-Apoe^-/- (black bars) mice (upper panels) or Cx47^+/+Apoe^-/- (white bars) and Cx47^-/-Apoe^-/- (black bars) mice that had received high-cholesterol diet for 25 weeks (lower panels). A/B) In 15 month-old mice no differences between the genotypes were observed. C) In plaques from Cx47^-/-Apoe^-/- (black bars) mice exposed to high cholesterol diet macrophage content was reduced whereas collagen and lipid content was unaffected by genotype. D) After a high-cholesterol diet T lymphocyte content was not affected by genotype. N = 9/11.