Fig. 3

Apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells. TUNEL: bodies were stained with FITC-12-dUTP; DAPI: cell nucleus were stained with DAPI; merged:merge two pictures before. The red arrow showed the apoptotic endothelial cells. SAL (SAL group rats underwent 48 h infusions with saline); CHG (CHG group rats underwent 48 h infusions with 50 % glucose continually to keep the glucose concentration at 20 ± 0.5 mmol/l); AFG (AFG group rats underwent 48 h infusions with 50 % glucose intermittently so that blood glucose alternated between 5.5 ± 0.5 and 20 ± 0.5 mmol/l). Data are mean ± SD. n = 10/group. *P < 0.05 vs SAL; ^#P < 0.05 vs CHG