CCN2/Connective Tissue Growth Factor Is Essential for Pericyte Adhesion and Endothelial Basement Membrane Formation during Angiogenesis
Figure 3
Defective endothelial-pericyte interactions in Ccn2 mutants.
(A, B) Co-immunofluorescence staining for desmin and PECAM in E18.5 dermis from (A) WT and (B) Ccn2−/− mice analyzed by confocal microscopy. (C) Quantification of vessel coverage by pericytes in E18.5 dermis; asterisk, p<0.05. (D, E) Co-immunofluorescence staining for NG2 and PECAM in E16.5 lung from (D) WT and (E) Ccn2−/− mice analyzed by confocal microscopy. (F) Quantification of vessel coverage by pericytes in E16.5 lung; asterisk, p<0.05. (G,H) Confocal analysis of NG2 and PECAM immunostaining in (G) WT and (H) Ccn2−/− E16.5 dermis. Pericytes are elongated around the microvessel in (G), whereas in mutants (H), pericytes (arrows) are associated with the endothelium, but are rounder, and fewer of them have elongated along the endothelial surface. (I–L) Confocal sections through E16.5 dermis analyzed for desmin (green) and PECAM (red) immunofluorescence. (I,J) WT desmin positive pericytes appear elongated and cover most of the surface of the microvessels. (K.L) Ccn2−/− desmin-positive pericytes have a rounder appearance and show less extensive coverage of the surface of the endothelium.