Figure 1.

Histological characterization of advanced endocarditis vegetations and sterile thrombi. Various components were characterized in mice with infective endocarditis (n=11), sterile thrombi (n=7), or without thrombi (n=7), induced by the clinical strain of Staphylococcus aureus at day 3. Representative images of these components in each group are shown in A–E. A, Brightfield images of a Brown-Hopps Gram stain with bacteria seen in purple and asterisks (*) indicating large cellular infiltrates in the surrounding aortic wall. B–D, Fluorescence images of S. aureus (green) and neutrophil-specific marker Ly6G (red, B); VWF (von Willebrand factor, green, C); and platelet CD41 (red) and fibrinogen (green; D). DNA is identified by Hoechst 33342 staining, depicted in blue. Double asterisks (**) indicate large infiltrates of neutrophils in the surrounding aortic wall. E, Martius Scarlet Blue (MSB) staining that detects fibrin in red. Scale bars represent 200 μm.