Cold exposure and capsaicin promote 1,2-dimethylhyrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis in rats correlates with extracellular matrix remodeling

Figure 3 Changes in extracellular matrix components (collagen fibers and elastin) in colonic mucosa of different treatment groups. A: Representative photographs of colonic tissues in rats of normal, 1,2-dimethylhyrazine (DMH), cold exposure and capsaicin groups using Masson’s trichrome: collagen (blue), nuclei and cytoplasm (red); picrosirius red in bright-field: collagen (red); polarized light: collagen (yellow-orange to green birefringence) and Weigert’s Resorcin-Fuschin: elastin (blue-black), myofibers (yellow). Magnification, × 400, scalar bar 20 μm; B: Quantitative analysis of picrosirius red staining, trichrome and Weigert’s staining as a measure of collagen and elastin density.