Immunohistochemical staining of CD31 and double-label immunofluorescence in aortic plaques from high cholesterol-fed rabbits.

(A) Protein expression of CD31 (endothelial cell (EC) marker). (Bars = 20 μm). The lesion is outlined by the black dots. (B) Quantification of the total number of neovessels in the five groups of high cholesterol-fed rabbits from week 4 to 12. Data are presented as the mean±SEM. *p<0.05 vs. week 4; #p<0.05 vs. week 6; ^p<0.05 vs. week 8; &p<0.05 vs. week 10. (C) Rabbit abdominal plaque sections stained with anti-CD31 (green color, EC marker) mAb and anti-Ng2 mAb (red color, pericyte marker). Counterstained with DAPI. (Bars = 50 μm). The lesion is outlined by the white dots. I intima, M media and A adventitia.