Bacterial association with vessels.

<p>(A) Bacterial colony forming unit (CFU) counts from the blood of mice grafted with human skin and infected with <i>N. meningitidis</i>. These counts represent the number of bacteria circulating in the blood at the given time-point. (B) Bacterial CFU counts from skin biopsies taken from either grafted human skin (Hu Skin) or contralateral mouse skin (Ms Skin). (C) Bacterial CFU counts in biopsies taken from organs of mice grafted with human skin. (D) Confocal microscopy showing <i>N. meningitidis</i> (green) associated with human vessels (UEA lectin, red) in the skin, 2 h post infection. (E) 3D reconstruction showing bacteria (green) in a human vessel (UEA lectin, red) in the skin, 6 h post infection (F) Bacteria (green) in a human vessel (HuCD31, red), 24 h post infection. (G) Bacteria (green) expressing tfp (red) 24 h post infection. (H) Bacteria (green) expressing capsule (red), 24 h post infection. (I) CFU counts from skin biopsies of mice grafted with mouse skin (MOM graft, mouse on mouse), and contralateral mouse skin (Ms), after 24 h of infection with <i>N. meningitidis</i>.