Figure 6

SAEC exposure to MWCNT increases the angiogenic potential of HMVEC. A. SAEC and HMVEC were grown in the apical and basolateral chambers, respectively, of a co-culture system, and SAEC were exposed to either DM or 1.2 μg/ml MWCNT for 24 h. HMVEC were removed from the co-culture, rinsed thoroughly in serum free media, and plated in serum free media on Matrigel plugs. Images of capillary-like formation were captured 4 h after plating at both 4X and 10X magnifications in DM (a,b) and MWCNT (c,d) exposures. Three separate angiogenesis assays were performed, and a representative image is shown. B. The number of tube-forming cells in DM or MWCNT-exposed co-cultures was determined by counting the number of tube-forming cells in 6 randomly chosen 20 × 20 mm squares in the 4X images of three separate angiogenesis assays. The average number ± standard error of tube-forming cells in the DM control was 5.91 ± 0.81, and the mean ± standard error of tube-forming cells in the MWCNT-exposed co-culture was 22.50 ± 1.73. * p < 0.05.