Skip to main content
. 2021 Sep 2;16(9):e0257022. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257022

Fig 3. Spontaneous mitral valve lesions in C57BL/6J and FVB mice.

Fig 3

Hematoxylin and eosin staining shows thickened leaflets, called "cushions", with important cellular density, in FVB/NJ (C) and FVB/NRj (D) mice, in comparison to thin leaflets in C57BL/6J mice (A). However, some C57BL/6J mice may have highly cellularized valvular lesions (B), but with a prevalence of only 30% and a lower thickness. In C57BL/6J (E and F), as well as in FVB mice (G and H), Alcian blue staining shows severe deposition of glycosaminoglycans (blue) in the spongiosa and disrupted, disorganized collagen (pink); all features that are characteristics of fibromyxoid lesions. Finally, clusters of rounded shape cells bordering the valvular surface and penetrating the interstitial matrix were observed in all mice with lesion, but more prominent in FVB mice (I and J) (scale bar = 100μm).