Fig. 5

Selective MSC localization on the microvessel surface under co-culture conditions. A Visualization of MSC-binding sites and mean curvature on an entire microvessel surface under co-culture conditions. Gradient color bars with blue, white, and red show the mean surface curvature of negative, zero, and positive values, respectively. All ranges of the mean curvature values shown on the color bars are the same for (A–C). Scale bars: 200 μm or 50 μm in pictures of entire or local vascular structures, respectively. B Histograms of the mean curvature calculated on co-culture samples. Curvature values from five co-culture samples were combined as one to draw each histogram. The green and black lines in the graph represent MSC-covered and uncovered surfaces, respectively. The p value in the graph was from a two-sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. C Scheme of the maturation effect of MSCs on the microvessel sprouts