Journal: Scientific Reports

Article Title: Silk fibroin vascular graft: a promising tissue-engineered scaffold material for abdominal venous system replacement

doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-78020-y

Figure Lengend Snippet: Microscopic findings of the SF vascular graft ( A 40x, B 100x) and ePTFE vascular graft ( C 40x, D 100x). The lumen of the SF vascular graft was fully patent ( A ), whereas the lumen of the ePTFE vascular graft remained patent, but was narrowed ( C ). In high-power micrographs, cellular components were observed between the SF fibers, and the luminal and outer surfaces of the SF vascular graft were covered with flat cells ( B ). Fibrin accumulation was observed on the luminal surface of the ePTFE vascular graft, but no flat cells were observed ( D ). ePTFE; Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, SF; silk fibroin. Images were taken by a software, Nikon DS-L2, Ver. 4.61, https://www.nikon.com/products/microscope-solutions/support/download/software/camerasfor/ds_l2_v461u.htm .

Article Snippet: All pathological figures were made using Digital Sight camera control unit with software (Nikon DS-L2, Ver.

Techniques: Software, Microscopy

Journal: Scientific Reports

Article Title: Silk fibroin vascular graft: a promising tissue-engineered scaffold material for abdominal venous system replacement

doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-78020-y

Figure Lengend Snippet: Elastica van Gieson staining of the SF graft revealed proliferation of the collagen fibers around the SF fibers, but no elastic fibers were observed ( A , EVG, × 100, arrowhead). CD31 was expressed on the luminal surface of the SF vascular graft ( A , CD31, arrowhead). αSMA antibody staining of the SF vascular graft was positive and backing CD31 positive cells ( A , αSMA, arrowhead). Podoplanin was weakly expressed on the outer surface and partially in the wall of the SF vascular graft ( A , Podoplanin, arrowhead). In the ePTFE graft, Elastica van Gieson staining showed thick fibrin inside the lumen ( B , EVG, × 100, arrowhead). No CD31positive cells were observed on the luminal surface of the ePTFE vascular graft ( B , CD31, arrowhead). Anti-αSMA antibody staining was positive inside the lumen in thick fibrin, which may indicate intimal thickening ( B , αSMA, arrowhead). Podoplanin-positive cells were found not only inside the lumen, but weak positive staining was also observed on the outer surface of the ePTFE vascular graft ( B , Podoplanin, arrowhead). As a positive control of the rat small artery, positive CD31 staining of endothelial cells was observed in an inner surface with a thin layer of lumen ( C , CD31, single arrowhead). In the negative control of CD31, there was no CD31 staining in the thick smooth muscle layer ( C , CD31, double arrowheads), in contrast to αSMA positive thick smooth muscle layer ( C , αSMA, arrowhead). An example of native rat IVC showed lining endothelial cells at inner surface in HE staining ( C , HE, arrowhead) and smooth muscle and collagen fibers layer around lumen in Elastica van Gieson staining ( C , EVG, arrowhead). An occluded ePTFE vascular graft ( C , HE × 40) at 3 weeks 3 days showed neutrophils infiltrated inside the graft aggregating around erythrocytes ( C , HE × 100, single arrowhead) and lymphocytes ( C , HE × 100, double arrowhead), indicating infection and inflammation, respectively. αSMA; α-smooth muscle actin, SF; silk fibroin, IVC; inferior vena cava, HE; Hematoxylin and eosin, ePTFE; expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. All images were taken by a software, Nikon DS-L2, Ver. 4.61, https://www.nikon.com/products/microscope-solutions/support/download/software/camerasfor/ds_l2_v461u.htm .

Article Snippet: All pathological figures were made using Digital Sight camera control unit with software (Nikon DS-L2, Ver.

Techniques: Staining, Positive Control, Negative Control, Infection, Software, Microscopy