Jci_page_head_homepage_01 Jci_page_head_homepage_02
Lara R. Nyman, K. Sam Wells, W. Steve Head, Michael McCaughey, Eric Ford, Marcela Brissova, David W. Piston, Alvin C. Powers
Published in Volume 118, Issue 11
J Clin Invest. 2008; 118(11):3790–3797 doi:10.1172/JCI36209
Abstract | Full text | PDF | Supplemental material
Options: View larger image (or click on image)
Medium
Figure 2
Variations in islet vascular structure in vivo.

Shown are 5 optical slices spaced 8–11 μm apart along the z direction for 4 different islets with rhodamine dextran–labeled plasma, demonstrating that vascular patterns differ in size and structure. The z position relative to the first image plane (nearest to the coverglass) of the islet is noted in microns, while the xy dimension is noted by 100-μm scale bars. (A) Medium islet, containing a large vessel with numerous capillaries coalescing into it in the top image planes (arrows). (B and C) Larger islets of different shapes, which also had large, arm-like vessels in the top 2 planes (arrows). (D) Islet not closely associated with an arm-like vessel. Image slices throughout the z plane showed vessel sizes to be mostly homogeneous in diameter, rather than having a graduated size pattern.