Angioblast Derived from ES Cells Construct Blood Vessels and Ameliorate Diabetic Polyneuropathy in Mice

Figure 6

Capillary number to muscle fiber ratios in soleus muscles. (a) The vasculatures were visualized by Alexa594-conjugated isolectin IB4 in soleus muscles. More capillaries existed in soleus muscle of transplanted diabetic mice (right) compared to those of nontransplanted control diabetic mice (left). Red: isolectin IB4. Bar: 50 μm. DM-saline: saline-injected limb in diabetic mice and DM-AB: limbs transplanted angioblast-like cell derived from ES cells in diabetic mice. (b) Quantitative analyses revealed that the capillary number to muscle fiber ratios in the saline-injected sides of diabetic mice were significantly reduced compared with those of normal mice (N). Transplantation of angioblast-like cell derived from ES cells (ES-ABs) significantly augmented the ratios in transplanted limbs compared with those in saline-injected side limbs in diabetic mice (DM). Transplantation of ES-ABs into normal mice showed no significant differences. S: saline treated limbs, AB+: limbs transplanted ES-ABs, and AB−: contralateral limbs transplanted ES-ABs. Results are means ± SD. versus S in N (N-S) and versus S in DM (DM-S). in N-S and in DM-S (). of AB+ in DM and of AB− in DM ( represents DM-S versus AB+ in DM). of AB+ in N and of AB− in N ( represents N-S versus AB+ in N).

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