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Fig. 1. | BMC Biology

Fig. 1.

From: Q&A: Mesenchymal stem cells — where do they come from and is it important?

Fig. 1.

MSCs reside in perivascular locations in vivo as pericytes and adventitial cells. Fluorescent micrograph (a) and schematic (b) illustrating the intimate relationship between microvascular pericytes (CD146+CD34−) and endothelial cells (CD146+/−CD34+). Note that the blue/purple color indicates DAPI staining within nuclei of both cell types. Endothelial cells appear yellow/green because they express both CD146 (here in red) and CD34 (here in green). Adventitial cells (CD34+CD146−) located in the outmost layer of larger arteries and veins, the tunica adventitia, have also been identified as a source of bona fide MSCs (c, d). Smooth muscle cells around some larger vessels, which are perivascular but not sensu stricto pericytes, also express CD146, illustrating that marker expression must be assessed in combination with microanatomy

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