Fig. 3

Histological characterization and content of IMAT in muscles. Representative hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and quantification of the diameters of adipocytes in the intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) group (A, B), as well as the representative Oil red O staining and quantification in thigh muscles (C, D). Magnification: ×200; scale bar = 50 μm. CON control, PRE prediabetes, MET metformin, EXE moderate exercise, EMA combined therapies + compound-c, EMC combined therapies. The data shown are expressed as the mean ± standard error of the mean (n = 6/group). ^ap < 0.05, significantly different from the CON group; ^bp < 0.05, significantly different from the PRE group. ^cp < 0.05, significantly different from the MET group. ^dp < 0.05, significantly different from the EXE group. ^ep < 0.05, significantly different from the EMA group. ^fp < 0.05, significantly different from the EMC group