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Figure 4 Plaque MPs Induce In Vivo CD40L-Dependent Neovessel Formation

(A) Matrigel sections stained with Masson Trichrome (green = collagen, red = cells) show infiltration of endothelial cells and red blood cells in presence of plaque MPs. (B) CD31 staining of Matrigel sections indicates the presence of endothelial cells; similar results were obtained with isolectin B4 staining (not shown). Antimouse Ter-119 staining was used to identify red blood cells in Matrigel. (C) Plaque MPs induce neovessel formation in Matrigel plugs from BalbC/Nude and wild-type (WT) mice, whereas MPs supernatant (Sn) has no effect. Microparticles effect on neovessel formation was abolished either in the presence of neutralizing antibody CD40L or when experiments were performed in CD40^–/– mice. FITC = fluoroisothiocyanate; other abbreviations as in Figure 1.