Regenerative potential of mouse embryonic stem cell-derived PDGFRα+ cardiac lineage committed cells in infarcted myocardium

Figure 4 Proliferation and survival of implanted platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α⁺ cardiac lineage-committed cells in the infarcted heart. A: Representative confocal image of Ki-67⁺ host cardiomyocytes in the peri-infarcted region 3 d after cell injection. Dotted-lined rectangular region is magnified in right. Scale bar, 50 μm; B: Quantifications of Ki-67⁺α-actinin⁺ cardiomyocytes per 10⁴ nuclei in the peri-infarcted region 3 and 15 d after the implantation. Each group, n = 4. ^aP < 0.05 vs myocardial infarction (MI); C: Representative confocal images of revascularization within the infarcted areas 15 d after the implantation. Scale bars, 100 μm; D: Quantifications of capillary density (No. of CD31⁺ ECs/mm²) within the infarcted areas. Each group, n = 4. ^bP < 0.01 vs MI; ^cP < 0.01 vs MI+ platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α (PDGFRα)⁺ cardiac lineage-committed cells (CLCs); E: Representative confocal images of tdTomato⁺ PDGFRα⁺ CLCs and αMHC⁺ CMs 60 d after the implantation. Three independent experiments showed similar findings. Scale bars, 20 μm; F: Schematic diagram illustrating the regenerative potential of PDGFRα⁺ CLCs in the infarcted heart. CLCs: Cardiac lineage-committed cells; CMs: Cardiomyocytes; MI: Myocardial infarction.