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Figure 2 Mobilization of EPCs in Blood and EPC Survival After Culture

(A) Early less differentiated CD133⁺/KDR⁺ EPCs and (B) committed CD34⁺/KDR⁺ EPCs in blood were sequentially and significantly increased after SHS exposure but not after exposure to clean air only. (C) The survival of EPCs as determined by UEA-1⁺/acLDL+ after 7 days of culture was also significantly increased after SHS, mimicking the time course of CD34⁺/KDR⁺ EPC. Symbols are mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05 versus baseline of same day (exposure condition). #p < 0.05 comparing SHS and clean air at the same time. acLDL = acetylated low-density lipoprotein; EPC = endothelial progenitor cell; MNC = mononuclear cells; UEA-1 = Ulex europeus agglutinin-1; other abbreviations as in Figure 1.