Fig. 1

Schematic illustration of the experimental protocol and establishment of the mouse skin flap I/R model. A Experimental protocol: thirty-two mice were randomly and evenly divided into eight groups as described in the “Materials and methods” section. PBS (green arrows) or PRP (yellow arrows) was subcutaneously injected to the flaps at different time points with or without I/R insult. Skin flap samples collected at 16 h on day 0 were used for WB, qRT-PCR, H&E, TUNEL, and biochemical assays; flap samples collected on day 1, 4, and 7 were used to evaluate flap survival, blood perfusion, ELISA, and IHC. Blue rectangles represent the period for model establishment. Gray rectangles represent the period of 4-h ischemia. Red rectangles represent the period of 12-h reperfusion. Gradient gray rectangles represent no I/R insult. B Design of the lateral thoracic artery-based axial flap measuring 2.5 cm × 4 cm. C The flap was raised with preservation of the left lateral thoracic artery. The pedicle was exposed at the undersurface of the flap. D I/R-induced necrosis in the distal part of the skin flap. E Laser Doppler flowmetry showed blood reperfusion of the flap. Yellow and white dotted lines encircled the surviving areas. Red dotted lines encircled the necrotic areas. Scar bar = 10 mm in (B) and (C); scar bar = 6 mm in (D) and (E)