Figure 1: Representative dot plots illustrating the expression of cell surface receptors on endothelial cells (EC). (a): Expression of CD45, CD146 and CD31 on EC (red dots), lymphocytes (blue dots) and perivascular cells (gray dots) in cell samples obtained from the saphenous veins of three different patients submitted to surgery for varicose veins (HSVEC1, HSVEC2 and HSVEC3). Note that EC are CD45 negative and do express brightly the CD146 and CD31 surface receptors. (b): Expression of CD105 (Endoglin), CD144 (VE-Cadherin) and CD309 (VEGFR-2) surface receptors on EC obtained from the saphenous veins of a patient submitted to surgery for varicose veins (HSVEC4). Endothelial cells were identified by expression of CD146+bright CD31+bright (red dots), and they show bright and homogeneous CD105, CD144 and CD309 expression (red dots).