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Updated: Jul 12, 2026
Non-invasive Assessment of Microvascular and Endothelial Function
Published on: January 29, 2013
Comparison of storage solutions on saphenous vein endothelial function using immunofluorescence. A pilot study
1Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Background:
Our aim was to establish which of the current and novel storage fluids caused the least harm to the endothelium of the saphenous vein.
Methods:
Unmanipulated samples of saphenous vein were obtained. This vein was exposed to four fluids, DuraGraft®, Plasma-Lyte, autologous blood and sodium chloride, and a control medium. The expression of endothelial selectin (E-selectin) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was measured using confocal microscopy.
Results:
We identified and quantified platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecules, vascular cell adhesion molecules and endothelial nitric oxide synthase 3 on the endothelium. The results were widely variable. The protein expression of endothelial selectin (p = .17) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase 3 (p = .73) showed no statistically significant differences in levels of preservation when the different solutions were compared.
Conclusions:
In this study, we could not determine that any of the solutions were superior at preserving saphenous vein endothelium.
