FIGURE 4.

Aortic valves from Apoe^{− /−} mice with loss− or gain-of-function of Mgp. Aortic valves from Apoe^{− /−} and Apoe^{− /−}; Mgp^{− /−} mice, and from Apoe^{− /−} mice and Apoe^{− /−}; Mgp^tg/wt mice fed a HFD (16 weeks) were stained for MGP, phosphorylated (p)SMAD1/5/8, total SMAD, von Willebrand factor (vWF), Runx2, or Sox2 as indicated. When present, MGP was detected on the aortic side of the valve leaflet. Absence of MGP activated pSMAD1/5/8 and expression of Runx2 and Sox2, whereas excess MGP diminished pSMAD1/5/8, Runx2, and Sox2. Ao; aortic side (always facing up), Tg; transgene All bars are 25 μm.