Figure 5

Restoration of blood flow is faster in mouse hindlimbs injected with AAV-FGF4-IRES-VEGF-A. (A) The time-course of the recovery of blood flow to the ischemic foot measured by Laser Doppler Flowmetry. (B) Typical laser doppler images of superficial blood flow in lower limbs. Squares include the area of interest (the feet) in which average perfusion was computed by the software (1 – ischemic leg, 2 – non-ischemic leg). Color scale from blue to brown indicates progressive increases in blood flow. (C) Total capillary density expressed as capillaries-to-myocytes ratio quantified 28 days post-surgery and AAV-mediated muscle transduction. (D) Representative pictures of FITC-lectin-stained (green) capillaries 28 days after femoral artery ligation and AAV-mediated gene transfer. (E) Arteriolar density quantified 28 days post-surgery and AAV-mediated muscle transduction. (F) Representative pictures of α-SMA stained arterioles (arrows) 28 days after femoral artery ligation and AAV-mediated gene transfer. Values are means ± SEM (n = 5-8/group), * p < 0.05 vs AAV-LacZ.