Fig. 2.

Cardiac-specific Thbs3 overexpression increases pathology after injury. a Low magnification images of tTA control and Thbs3 DTG cardiac histological sections stained with Masson’s trichrome 12 weeks after TAC surgery. Scale bar is 1 mm. b Heart weight-to-body weight (HW/BW) ratio 12 weeks after TAC or sham surgery. c Echocardiography measured fractional shortening (FS) percentage and d left ventricular dimensions in diastole (LVIDD) and systole (LVIDS). e Pulmonary edema was analyzed by lung weight-to-body weight (LW/BW) ratios in the indicated groups of mice. f Percentage of fibrotic area was quantified from heart sections stained with Masson’s trichrome. g Low magnification histological images of tTA control and Thbs3 DTG hearts, 4 weeks after MI surgery stained with Masson’s trichrome. Scale bar is 1 mm. h HW/BW ratio 4 weeks after MI or Sham surgery in the indicated groups of mice. i Fractional shortening (FS) percentage and j LVIDD and LVIDS measured by echocardiography. Numbers of animals analyzed in each group for each procedure is indicated on the histograms. *P < 0.05 versus tTA control sham; ^#P < 0.05 versus tTA TAC or MI. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Turkey multiple comparisons test. Error bars are +/− standard error of the mean and number of mice used in each experiment are shown in the graphs