Fig. 5
Collagen and noncollagen ECM protein production in the five groups. hAF cells (3 × 104 cells) were placed in each well of a six-well plate for the five groups. The culture plates were stained with Sirius Red and Fast Green for collagen and noncollagen proteins at days 7, 10, and 14, eluted, and absorbance was evaluated with a spectrophotometer at 540 and 605 nm, respectively. Each bar indicates the mean of three experiments in the same group (n = 6). a Gross staining in the five groups at day 14. b Microscopic pictures were taken in the five groups at 14 days. Scale bars = 100 μm. c Absorbance is shown (mean ± standard deviation). The value at each bar is the mean of three experiments in the same group. *Significantly more collagenous and noncollagenous protein production in groups 4 and 5 at day 10 (but no significance between them). **The most collagenous and noncollagenous protein production was significantly observed in the two-step protocol among the groups at 14 days. FGF fibroblast growth factor, GF growth factor, TGF transforming growth factor