FIGURE 2.

Treatment with rGDF11 promoted neovascularization in ischemic mice. (A) Representative images of BrdU⁺/CD31⁺ endothelial cells, CD31⁺ microvessels, and vascular branches in the peri-infarct cortical areas from sham-operated mice and mice treated with vehicle or rGDF11 at 14 days after stroke. Scale bar = 40 μm. (B) Quantification of BrdU⁺/CD31⁺ endothelial cells, CD31-positive microvascular length, percent area occupied by CD31-positive vascular structures, and vascular branches for each group. n = 6–8 per group. (C) At 14 days after stroke, mice were given an intravascular injection of tomato-lectin, and brain sections were stained with or without CD31. Shown are representative images from sham-operated mice and mice treated with vehicle or rGDF11. Scale bar = 40 μm (upper panel) and 60 μm (lower panel). (D) Quantification of lectin-perfused vessel length, percent area occupied by lectin-perfused vessels, and tomato-lectin and CD31 double-labeled vessels for each group. n = 5 per group. Values are mean ± SD. ^∗P < 0.05.