Figure 7

Fluorescent images and grey value profiles of VE-cadherin in endothelial cells after loading of impulsive pressure. VE-cadherin was observed in endothelial cells in a static culture (A), incubated with EGTA (B), and subjected to pressure pulses A (C) and F (D). Scale bar is 50 μm. Arrows indicate the loss of VE-cadherin in cell-cell contacts. The grey values of VE-cadherin were plotted along the cross-sectional surface of an endothelial cell along line a–b. The grey value of VE-cadherin increased in continuous cell-cell contacts in static culture (A), but remained relatively constant throughout the cells after EGTA incubation (B). The grey value did not change with the loss of VE-cadherin in cell-cell contacts after pressure loading (C and D).