IMMUNOFLUORESCENT STAINING FOR FACTOR-VIII-RELATED ANTIGEN - TOOL FOR STUDY OF HEALING IN VASCULAR PROSTHESES

Localization of Factor VIII-related antigen by indirect immunofluorescent microscopy reliably identifies endothelium in frozen sections of canine blood vessels, including vasa vasorum. Using this technique, endothelium was found to line 6-cm-long porous Dacron arterial grafts in place in dogs for 6 months and 1 year. Grafts seeded with autogenous, venous endothelial cells at implantation showed specific fluorescence in the midportions of their flow surfaces after 1 month. Unseeded grafts were devoid of specific fluorescence beyond the region of pannus ingrowth. Vasa vasorum were very well delineated, even when no more than a row of single cells. We conclude that localization of Factor VIII-related antigen reliably identifies true endothelium in vascular grafts and will be useful in the study of vascular prosthetic healing. © 1979.