Figure 9.

Vegf-A expression within macrophages is decreased in Vegf-A^fl/fl; LysM^Cre mice. A, Vegf-A protein expression was significantly decreased in Vegf-A^fl/fl; LysM^Cre mice at days 14 and 21 following nerve injury and repair. Vegf-A levels peaked in both conditional knock-out mice and controls (Vegf-A^fl/fl) at 21 d postinjury. B, Vegf-A mRNA expression was significantly decreased in Vegf-A^fl/fl; LysM^Cre mice compared with the control mice. Vegf-A mRNA expression peaked at day 21 in the Vegf-A^fl/fl; LysM^Cre mice before significantly decreasing again at 28 d after nerve injury. C–H, Macrophage (green) number was higher in the Vegf-A^fl/fl; LysM^Cre mice compared with controls at days 7 and 28 after nerve injury but did not differ between Vegf-A^fl/fl; LysM^Cre mice and controls at days 14 and 21. Both groups had fewer macrophages present in the muscle at day 28. G, The percentage of CD68+ cells (green) colocalizing with Vegf-A (red, white arrows in C–F), however, was significantly decreased in Vegf-A^fl/fl; LysM^Cre mice compared with controls at all time points. Macrophages not colocalized with Vegf-A are indicated by yellow arrows. Vegf-A Ab (red), CD68 Ab = macrophages (green), DAPI = nuclear staining (blue). Scale bar: 20 μm. Data: mean ± SD; N = 3 mice/genotype/time point; *p < 0.05.