Figure 4

Angiogenic response induced by SVF cells in the Matrigel-plug assay. Freshly isolated SVF CD45⁺, CD45^-or CD14⁺ cells, or SVF-derived MSCs were mixed with Matrigel and injected subcutaneously into immunodeficient mice. (A) Macroscopic visualization of Matrigel plugs containing SVF cells or no cells 14 days after implantation. In some experiments, 10 minutes before the Matrigel plugs were harvested, mice were injected into the tail vein with FITC-dextran. Fluorescence microscopy of Matrigel explants allows identifying vessels connected to the circulation (B). Sections from the plugs were stained with H&E to visualize vessel formation (C, D). Scale bars: B, 200 μm (left), 100 μm (right); C and D, 50 μm.