Effect of BaP1 and CsH1 on type IV collagen from vascular BM on mouse cremaster muscle.

<p>Isolated cremaster muscles were incubated with either (A) 30 μg of BaP1 or (C) 15 μg of CsH1 (model without blood flow). In another experiment, anesthetized mice were injected by intrascrotal route with either (B) 60 μg of BaP1 or (D) 30 μg of CsH1 (model with blood flow). Controls were incubated or injected with PBS. After 15 min of exposition to toxin in each model, whole cremaster muscles were fixed and immunostained for observation by confocal microscopy and analysis of total fluorescence intensity for type IV collagen. Results are expressed as the mean ± SEM of the percentage of intensity related to control of at least five images of each vessel type per animal (n = 4). (E) Representative three-dimensional images of each vessel type immunostained for type IV collagen are shown with a gray color coding spectrum (black as low fluorescence intensity regions and white as high fluorescence intensity regions) for CsH1 30 μg and control applied in anesthetized mice (i.e. model with blood flow). The images show a decrease in fluorescence intensity for type IV collagen in BM of arterioles, capillaries, and PCV of treated tissues as compared to control. Scale bar represents 30 μm. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.001 as compared to control. Col IV: type IV collagen; PCV: post-capillary venules.