Fig. 2.

The representative and important steps of the donor heart explantation, transplantation and the experimental protocol. a a: Abdominal artery cannulation was performed. b: The donor heart was explanted. c: 1 ml cold Custodiol solution supplemented with α-MEM or CdM-BMSCs was applied to perfuse slowly and retrogradely the donor heart via the aorta. d: The donor heart was stored in the cold Custodiol solution supplemented with α-MEM or CdM-BMSCs at 0 °C to 4 °C for 60 min. b a: 1.5 cm abdominal artery and inferior vena cava below the level of the renal artery were carefully clamped by two vessel clamps. b: End-to-side anastomoses were performed. c: End-to-side anastomoses were completed. d: The donor heart was in-vivo reperfused. c The donor heart was explanted, stored in cold Custodiol solution supplemented with α-MEM or CdM-BMSCs for 1 h, and transplanted. After 1.5 h post-transplantation, in vivo left-ventricular graft function was evaluated. Myocardial samples and plasma were collected for biochemical analysis. CdM-BMSCs: conditioned medium derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell; N-CdM, normoxic conditioned medium; H-CdM, hypoxic conditioned medium