Uptake over wider areas.

<p>(a-d) Maps of mass transfer coefficients over a segment of aorta containing two pairs of intercostal branch ostia from a representative rabbit in each age group. Dimensions are shown in mm. Colour bars indicate mass transfer coefficients in cm/s. Mean aortic flow is from the top to the bottom of each map. Branch ostia are indicated by white circles. (Other holes are imaging artefacts). The histogram under each map shows the circumferential variation in mass transfer coefficients, quantified by averaging data in 5 elongated regions of interest located close to the left lateral margin and the right lateral margin of the map, between left branch ostia and between right branch ostia, and along the dorsal midline. (These regions avoided the areas immediately around the branches themselves, and the narrow longitudinal streaks of high uptake shown in subsequent figures.) The data (shown as mean±SEM) were obtained for all rabbits in each age group, not just the example maps.</p

Effect of duration of uptake on streaks.

<p>(a and b) Maps of mass transfer coefficients over a segment of aorta, displayed as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0120363#pone.0120363.g006" target="_blank">Fig. 6</a>. The aortas were exposed to circulating tracer for (a) 10 or (b) 1 min <i>in vivo</i> and then flushed and fixed <i>via</i> a retrograde cannula inserted after death. (c) A portion of map (b) superimposed on a 3D representation of wall structure, and a 2D slice through the 3D image. Note that depth into the wall is shown on an expanded scale compared to the axial and circumferential dimensions (all in microns).</p

Mass transfer coefficients for the upstream, downstream and combined lateral regions of interest at different ages.

<p>Data are shown as mean±SEM.</p

Effect of high-dose heparin on uptake upstream and downstream of the branch.

<p>Effect of pre-treatment with high-dose heparin for 1h on the difference in transport between regions of interest upstream and downstream of the branch in rabbits of different age, quantifying aspects of the patterns shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0120363#pone.0120363.g009" target="_blank">Fig. 9</a>. Data are presented as described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0120363#pone.0120363.g002" target="_blank">Fig. 2</a>. The direction of the difference was reversed by 1h heparin treatment in ex-breeder animals (p = 0.0131).</p

The difference in tracer uptake between regions upstream and downstream of the branch.

<p>Differences are expressed as a percentage of the mean of both regions at the different ages. Positive values indicate higher uptake downstream whilst negative values indicate higher uptake upstream. The trend with age between the three mature groups was significant (p<0.01). Data are shown as mean±SEM.</p

Effect of cannulation technique on streaks.

<p>Maps of mass transfer coefficients over a segment of aorta, displayed as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0120363#pone.0120363.g006" target="_blank">Fig. 6</a>. (a) Three aortas flushed and fixed <i>via</i> a retrograde cannula inserted after death. (b) Three aortas flushed and fixed via an anterograde cannula inserted after death. (c) Three aortas flushed and fixed via an anterograde cannula inserted under anaesthesia.</p

Uptake around left and right intercostal branch ostia.

<p>Maps of tracer uptake by the aortic wall around intercostal branch ostia in male rabbits aged (a) 9 weeks (immature), (b) 6 months (mature) and (c) 16–22 months (ex-breeder), and (d) female rabbits aged >5 years, displayed as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0120363#pone.0120363.g001" target="_blank">Fig. 1</a> except that branches have been subdivided according to whether they lie on the anatomical left or right side of the aorta.</p

Effect of high-dose heparin on uptake patterns.

<p>Maps of uptake around branches of male rabbits aged (a) 9 weeks, (b) 6 months and (c) 16–22 month rabbits after 1h exposure to high-dose heparin, displayed as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0120363#pone.0120363.g001" target="_blank">Fig. 1</a>. (Maps show means of 22 branches from 4 immature rabbits; 22 branches from 4 mature rabbits; and 18 branches from 3 ex-breeders) The equivalent control patterns from rabbits receiving low-dose heparin for 2 min are repeated from <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0120363#pone.0120363.g001" target="_blank">Fig. 1</a> to facilitate comparison.</p

Variation in fluorescence intensity with depth into the wall.

<p>(a-d) Profiles of measured fluorescence intensity versus depth for regions of interest upstream and downstream of the ostium, averaged across all branches within each age group. (e) An equivalent profile for an animal not administered tracer, adjusted to account for different gain settings and hence indicating the comparable intensity of autofluorescence.</p