Fig. 4.
Representative photomicrographs of the skinfold microcirculation after in vivo staining of leukocytes with rhodamine 6G. Intravital fluorescence microscopy of leukocytes labeled with fluorochrome rhodamine 6G allows the study of leukocyte–endothelial interactions in the microvasculature. Only a few adhered leukocytes (marked by black arrows) are normally observed in nonendotoxemic animals (A and C). Lipopolysaccharide induces a significant increase in venular leukocyte adherence. This was evidenced in B (lipopolysaccharide–SALINE group) where almost all observed leukocytes are adhered. The number of adherent leukocytes (marked by black arrows) observed in D (lipopolysaccharide–DEXMEDETOMIDINE group) was not statistically different than that observed in nonendotoxemic animals, showing an attenuation of the response to lipopolysaccharide with dexmedetomidine treatment.