ADAMTS13 deficiency reduces neovascularization during the recovery phase after stroke. (A) Hematoxylin and eosin–stained coronal sections of ischemic brain at 14 days after stroke. The broken blue line shows the location used for all histological measurements and in vivo multiphoton microscopy analysis in the peri-infarct cortical areas (the areas surrounding the infarct). Scale bar = 1 mm. (B) Representative images of CD31⁺ microvessels at 14 days after stroke or sham operation in WT and Adamts13^−/− mice, and quantification of CD31⁺ microvascular length and percent area occupied by vascular structures for each group. Scale bar = 100 μm. (C-D) Representative images of vascular branches, IB4⁺ endothelial tip cells and BrdU⁺/CD31⁺ endothelial cells in WT and Adamts13^−/− mice subjected to ischemia, and quantification of the data in WT and Adamts13^−/− mice subjected to ischemia or sham operation. Bar = 20 μm. (E) Representative in vivo multiphoton microscopic images of cortical capillaries in real time in the living mouse brain. For visualization of the brain vasculature, FITC-dextran (MW = 2 000 000 Da) was injected IV just before beginning the imaging experiment. (Right) Quantification of perfused capillary length in WT and Adamts13^−/− mice subjected to ischemia or sham operation. Ad^−/−, Adamts13^−/−. Bar = 100 μm. (F) Representative images of tomato-lectin–perfused vessels and quantification of lectin-perfused vessel area in WT and Adamts13^−/− mice subjected to ischemia or sham operation. Scale bar = 50 μm. Values are mean ± SD. One-way ANOVA followed by the Bonferroni multiple comparison test. n = 6 per group, *P < .05.