Characterisation of fibroblasts Sample Clauses

Characterisation of fibroblasts. 2.3.1.1 Bright field and immunocytochemistry The light field image (Figure 2.1) showed no cardiac myocytes as they have been destroyed in the collagenase digestion process. The majority of the cells are cardiac fibroblasts contaminated with some endothelial cells. Cardiac fibroblasts appeared spindle-like in shape and spread out. (Figure 2.1A, B & C) In comparison the endothelial cells were smaller in size and clump together to form cobblestone-like patches. (Figure 2.1C) The shapes of the WT PCFs varied, consistent with fibroblasts being phenotypically heterogenous. PCFs were identified with DDR2 staining (Figure 2.2 A & B) and compared to that of the 3T3 fibroblast cell line (Figure 2.2 C). Both cells showed the speckled staining of DDR2. Assesment of several slides under low power showed that majority of the cells were cardiac fibroblasts. Fibroblasts stained with non-specific IgG negative control showed little background staining. A small number of contaminating endothelial cells were identified by staining for the endothelial specific cell marker vWF (Figure 2.2 D) Figure 2-1Primary cardiac fibroblast‌ Images of WT PCFs. A) and B) illustrates PCFs at X20 magnification and C) illustrates PCFs at X40 magnification with a cluster of contaminating endothelial cells (black arrow). A