Fig. 2

A representative confocal laser-scanning microscopy image of the 3D capillary architecture in the soleus muscle in the CON (a), CO₂ (b), STZ (c), and STZ + CO₂ (d) groups. Scale bar = 100 μm. Mean capillary luminal diameters (e) and volumes (f) in the soleus muscles in each group. Values are presented as mean ± SEM. * and ^† indicates significantly different from CON with same intervention and CO₂ (−) vs. CO₂ (+), respectively, at p < 0.05. Frequency distributions of capillary luminal diameters and capillary volumes for the CON (g, k), CO₂ (h, l), STZ (i, m), and STZ + CO₂ (j, n) groups are displayed. Arrows indicate the medians of capillary luminal diameters and volume