Histological findings of iliac-femoral arteries that were not injured or those at three weeks after balloon injury in rabbits fed with conventional or 0.5% cholesterol diets.

<p>A. Representative histological images of arterial sections stained with hematoxylin eosin (HE), and antibodies for muscle actin or rabbit macrophages. N, neointima; BI, balloon injury. B. Vascular areas, as well as areas that are immunopositive for SMCs and macrophages, and numbers of Ki-67-immunopositive nuclei in arteries. White and black bars, conventional and 0.5% cholesterol diet, respectively; n = 12 each). BI, balloon injury. Arteries at three weeks after balloon injury shows neointimal formation rich in SMCs (conventional diet) or macrophages (0.5% cholesterol diet), compared with non-injured arteries. C. Representative double immunofluorescent images for Ki-67 and macrophage or SMC in arteries 3 weeks after balloon injury in rabbits fed with 0.5% cholesterol diet. Images stained with CF488A labeled anti-Ki-67 antibody (green), CF495-labeled anti-macrophage antibody (red) or anti-SMC antibody (red), and merged immunofluorescent images. There are Ki-67 immunopositive nuclei in macrophages (upper row). The cells with Ki-67-immunopositive nuclei don't have SMC-positive cytoplasm (arrows).