Fig. 5.

Remodeling of extracellular matrix in the offspring heart is induced by the exposure to maternal diabetes. Representative images of picrosirius red staining of collagen in the LV myocardium and delineated collagen⁺ area in the myocardium using Adobe Photoshop (a–h). Scale bar = 100 µm. i Relative quantification of staining determined as a percentage of collagen⁺ areas per tissue area of the LV myocardium in the field of view by ImageJ. The values are means ± SEM (n = 4). j Relative mRNA expression levels of Tgfb1 in the LV myocardium by RT-qPCR, the values are mean ± SEM (n = 8/group). Data are normalized to Hprt1 mRNA of control gene. Statistical significance assessed by two-way ANOVA: genotype effect (tissue collagen, P = 0.0089); diabetes effect (tissue collagen, P = 0.0007; Tgfb1, P = 0.0079) followed by t tests, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. Tgfb1 Transforming growth factor beta 1