Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) inhibits recruitment of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (BMD EPC) to ischemic hindlimb muscles but not to ischemic skin wounds

METHODS: Six chimeric FVB mice were created by bone marrow ablation/reconstitution using Tie 2-lacZ bone marrow such that BMD EPC are easily tracked by b-galactosidase expression. Femoral artery excision and 4mm hindlimb punch biopsy-wounding were performed in all mice. Three mice underwent 4 daily HBO treatments and three remained at normoxia. At day 4, hindlimb muscles, the excisional biopsy, and the surgical incisional wound were harvested and analyzed for b-galactosidase cells, to quantify BMD EPC (in 10 random HPF/serial crossections). 15 additional FVB with femoral excision/wounding underwent 8-daily HBOtreatments (N 8) versus no treatment (N 7) and wound closure assessed.