Platelet adhesion on VEGF- or bFGF-stimulated endothelial cells.

Fluorescence-stained platelets were incubated on endothelial cells stimulated by increasing concentrations of VEGF or bFGF. A dose-dependent 2.5-fold increase of platelet adhesion on VEGF-stimulated endothelial cells was measured, whereas no increase in platelet adhesion on bFGF-stimulated endothelial cells could be detected. As a positive control TNF-α–stimulated (1000 U/mL) endothelial cells were used, marked in the figure by the asterisk. Fluorescence was measured as an indicator for the number of adhering platelets. The error bars represent the SEM. In this figure a representative experiment is shown.