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Figure 3 | Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology

Figure 3

From: Microvascular endothelial cells of the corpus luteum

Figure 3

Endothelial cells of the bovine corpus luteum form tubule-like structures in vitro as demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy [41, 42]. Panel a: In cytokeratin-positive, type 1 cell cultures, the tubule-like structures derive from a junction point and develop distinct borders. A longitudinal cut through a cytokeratin-positive tubule reveals the "inside out" model, i.e. a core of extracellular matrix. Panel b: In cytokeratin-negative, type 3 cells the tubule-like structures depict a reticular network without distincl cell borders. True tubules are formed as verified by the presence of an extracellular matrix core. Panel c: Cytokeratin-negative, type 4 cell cultures form a reticular arrangement of pseudo-tubules lacking the three-dimensional structure of true tubules (panel c).

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