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Figure 1 | Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Figure 1

From: Endothelial cells direct human mesenchymal stem cells for osteo- and chondro-lineage differentiation through endothelin-1 and AKT signaling

Figure 1

Activities of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) regulated by co-cultured human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) or HAEC-conditioned medium. (A) Illustration of hMSC/HAEC Transwell co-culture setup. hMSCs were seeded at the bottom of wells while HAECs were seeded in Transwell inserts. (B) Micrographs of control hMSCs or hMSCs co-cultured with HAECs. Scale bar: 200 μm. (C). Proliferation of hMSCs co-cultured with or without HAECs was analyzed by quantifying total DNA content. (D) Relative mRNA expression levels of potency- and lineage-related markers in control hMSCs or hMSCs co-cultured with HAECs for 3 days were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. (E) Concentrations of soluble endothelin-1 (ET1) in hMSC- or HAEC-conditioned medium (CM) were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (left). Relative mRNA expression levels of ET1 in hMSCs or HAECs were determined by quantitative RT-PCR (right). (F) Relative mRNA expression levels of potency- and lineage-related markers in hMSCs treated without HAEC-conditioned medium (CM-), or with HAEC-conditioned medium (CM+) added with or without bosentan for 3 days were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. *P < 0.05; n = 3. ND, not detectable.

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