Fig. 4

Intravital microscopic view of the glycocalyx. The mesenteric venule was observed under the microscope. The glycocalyx layer is expressed as the gap between endothelial cells and the red cell column in healthy rats. In this view, approximately a 3 μm gap was observed between platelets and endothelial cells. Oval shape (deformable) leukocyte hit the opposite wall and the gap was not certain (left panel). Meanwhile, in the mesenteric vein in rats treated with lipopolysaccharide, round, stiff (undeformable) neutrophil adheres to the endothelium. Platelets also directly attach to the endothelial cell of the arteriole (right panel). The blood flow was decreased after the treatment with lipopolysaccharide