Fig. 1

Culture on Cytodex microbeads supported renal progenitor cells expansion and maintenance of their phenotype. a, b Phase-contrast images of RPCs cultured on Cytodex microbeads at different time points. BAR = 200 μm for (a) and BAR = 100 μm for (b). c Growth curve of RPCs cultured on culture plates and on Cytodex microbeads. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM of three independent experiments. d Representative confocal image of Calcein-AM (green fluorescence) and PI (red) staining in RPCs after 120 h of culture on Cytodex microbeads. BAR = 75 μm. e Percentage of dead and live RPCs quantified from confocal images of Calcein-AM/PI staining. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM of three independent experiments. f Representative flow cytometry analysis of CD133 and CD24 staining of RPCs before (left) and after (right) 120 h of culture on Cytodex microbeads. g Mean fluorescence intensity of CD133 flow cytometry staining. Data are expressed as the mean ± SEM of three independent experiments