Figure 8

Shear stress dependence of MRSA infection of HUVEC. (A) Percentage of infected HUVEC and (B) number of MRSA per HUVEC versus magnitude of shear stress exposure during infection for 30 minutes. Number of samples analyzed: Static: 3 experiments, 411 HUVEC, 4495 MRSA; 0.24 Pa: 4 experiments, 462 HUVEC, 3795 MRSA; 1.2 Pa: 4 experiments: 546 HUVEC, 3000 MRSA. Error bars are plotted as standard error of the mean (SEM). All conditions in part (B) are significant to a level of p < 0.001. In part (A), the percent infected HUVEC at 1.2 Pa was significantly different than that at 0.24 Pa or static conditions to a level of p < 0.001.