Figure 5.

Evaluation of the Endothelialization and Vascularization of the Explants

(A) Scanning electron microscopic images show that the topography of the endocardial surface of the explants is composed of aligned and compacted cells. Similar cell confluency to the native tissue was detected in the unseeded and seeded patches. (B) By measuring the thickness of the endocardium of the sections stained for isolectin B4 (Iso), we observed that the seeded group developed a thicker layer than the unseeded group (C). The explanted grafts generated a fine and rich vascularization shown by isolectin B4 and alpha–smooth muscle actin (αSMA) staining. However, no differences were observed between the 2 groups in terms of capillaries and arteriole density. Scale bars, 50 μm. Dapi = 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; RV = right ventricle.