Fig. 4.

In vivo integration of FGF-producing SCs increases endothelial cells and new capillaries infiltration toward Matrigel plugs. (A) BALB/c mice were subcutaneously injected with SCs (+/−FGF SCs) enriched growth factors–reduced Matrigel. PBS was used as assay control (vehicle control). Mice were killed 7 d after injection. (B) (i) Representative images of Matrigel plugs in macroscopic view, matching the indicated treatments (scale bar, 2 mm), of H&E-stained paraffin-embedded slides of the explanted plugs (scale bar, 20 μm), and the corresponding CD31 immunostained slides (scale bar, 20 μm). FGF-producing SC treatment shows increased convergence of newly formed blood vessels into the plug (arrows); EC, Endothelial cell. (ii) Quantification of CD31-expressing cells % area and (iii) vessels % area was assessed using CD31 immunostaining of plug sections. Results present mean ± SEM (n = 5 mice per treatment); **P = 0.0038, ****P < 0.0001. (C) WBC count test of blood collected on day 7 of the experiment shows no significant difference between SC treatments and vehicle control. %Neut, %Neutrophils; %Lymph, %Lymphocytes; %Mono, %Monocytes of total WBC. Results present mean ± SD (n = 4 mice per treatment); ns = not significant. One-way ANOVA with adjusted P value in multiple comparisons tests was used for all statistical analyses.