Figure 5

Directed vasculogenesis of haBMSCs retained to infarcted myocardium. Vasculogenesis was assessed by monitoring expression of the unique genes leading to assembly of tight junctions (A-C) and adherens junctions (D-F). These phenomena were highlighted by transgenic expression of fluorescent-junction fusion proteins and fluorescent nano-antibody labeling of junction proteins (intermittent with photobleaching), while images were acquired on high-speed, high sensitivity confocal system and followed by instant deconvolution to eliminate spectral overlaps and resonance energy transfers, as described and validated [40, 45]. Labels are: occludin (A - blue), claudin (B - cyan), zona occludens (C- green), VE cadherin (D - yellow), catenin (E – orange), platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule (E – red). The colors are assigned artificially, but correspond to wave-lengths of the narrow band-width optical filters. Unique “cobble stone” geometry of the haBMSCs directly differentiated into endothelium is revealed.