Effects of VEGF antibodies in α2-AP^-/- mice. Scanning electron photomicrographs of the regenerated endothelial surface of a carotid artery 48 hours after injury in α2-AP^-/- mice. When either VEGF antibody or anti-EGFR-1 antibody was administered to α2-AP^-/- mice, the regeneration of the endothelium was normalized (A-B, respectively). α2-AP^-/- mice treated with an anti-VEGFR-2 antibody showed a prompt and dense re-endothelialization (C). Cell proliferation (n = 4) measured as the BrdU index (percentage) of recovered endothelial cell layer (□) and SMCs in media (•) following vascular injury in α2-AP^-/- mice (D). An anti-VEGF antibody and antibodies against VEGFR-1 (Flt-1) or VEGFR-2 (KDR), (25 μg per body) were injected as a bolus 5 minutes before the initiation of endothelial injury in α2-AP^-/- mice (n = 3, each group). BrdU (50 mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously 1, 8, 16, and 24 hours prior to removal of the carotid arteries. Two days after the injury, the injured artery was removed and stained for the measurement of BrdU-positive cells. ^* indicates P < .05 control. Scale bars represent 10 μm.