Fig. 4

Differentiation potential into mesenchymal lineage cells. a Potential of clonal cells to differentiate into adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic lineage cells analyzed via lineage-specific cytochemical staining. Adipogenic differentiation was assessed by Oil Red O staining of intracellular lipid vacuoles. Indomethacin was added to induce adipogenic differentiation of MF cells. Scale bars, 50 μm. Osteogenic differentiation was assessed by Alizarin Red S staining of mineralized nodules. Scale bars, 100 μm. Chondrogenic differentiation was assessed by Safranin O staining of proteoglycans. Scale bars, 25 μm. Levels of PPARγ and Wnt1, which were related to the plasticity of laryngeal clonal cells, confirmed by b qRT-PCR and c Western blot analysis. Error bars, SD (n = 3 wells). *P < 0.05, ***P < 0.001 compared with BM-MSCs; ^## P < 0.01, ^### P < 0.001 compared with EM cells; ^$$ P < 0.01 compared with LP cells. Refer to Additional file 1 for complete statistical values. EM epiglottic mucosa, LP lamina propria, MF macula flava, BM bone marrow