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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Jan 9.
Published in final edited form as: N Engl J Med. 2020 May 21;383(2):120–128. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2015432

Figure 3. Microvascular Alterations in Lungs from Patients Who Died from Covid-19.

Figure 3.

Panels A and B show scanning electron micrographs of microvascular corrosion casts from the thin-walled alveolar plexus of a healthy lung (Panel A) and the substantial architectural distortion seen in lungs injured by Covid-19 (Panel B). The loss of a clearly visible vessel hierarchy in the alveolar plexus is the result of new blood-vessel formation by intussusceptive angiogenesis. Panel C shows the intussusceptive pillar localizations (arrowheads) at higher magnification. Panel D is a transmission electron micrograph showing ultrastructural features of endothelial cell destruction and SARS-CoV-2 visible within the cell membrane (arrowheads) (the scale bar corresponds to 5 μm). RC denotes red cell.