Figure 6. Histologic profiles of the corneal buttons . Corneal buttons were collected on day 14 (A-E). Corneal button sections of normal (A),control (B), Vector (C), endostatin (D), and RGDRGD-endostatin (E) groups were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Expression of VEGF in the corneal buttons was detected by immunohistochemistry (F-J). High levels of VEGF were detected in the control and vector groups, respectively (G-H); by contrast, only minute levels were detected in the endostatin and RGDRGD-endostatin gene groups (I-J), respectively . Light micrographs of CD31-stained corneas in an untreated eye after corneal denudation and the effects of RGDRGD-endostatin gene delivery on experimental corneal angiogenesis on day 14. Representative light micrographs of CD31-stained corneas given normal, control,vector,endostatin,or the RGDRGD-endostatin expression cassette are shown (each group; n=3; K-O).The absolute normal control group showed no neovascularization, the experimental normal and vector groups showed neovascular formation (arrowheads), the endostatin group showed less neovascular formation,while the RGDRGD-endostatin group showed significantly less vessels and smaller areas of neovascularization compared with endostatin-treated corneas.