Fig. 3. Confocal images of epidermal cells incorporating into the vasculature. Epidermal cells were isolated, labeled with the red fluorescent dye CM-DiI and injected into diabetic mice with an ischemic leg. One month after the injection, mice were perfused with FITC-tagged BSLB₄ (a labelled lectin specific for mouse endothelial cells) before tissue was harvested. Pictures were taken with a confocal microscope. For this particular example, a z series of 60 focal plans was acquired 1.5 µm apart. (a-f) Consecutive stacks of six images each. Notice the red fluorescent cells (epidermal cells labeled with CM-DiI, arrows) incorporated into the vasculature delineated by the green fluorescence. Scale bars, 25 µm.