Fig. 6

Quantification of flow cytometry, western blot, and ELISA data to investigate the impact of p38 MAPK, ERK1/2, and PKA activation on the differentiation of WJ-MSCs into ESC-like cells. (A) Quantification of flow cytometry data for the Vim⁺/CK^– cell and CD13⁺/CD9^– cell percentages in each group. (a) no inhibition group; (b) p38 MAPK-block group; (c) ERK1/2-block group; (d) PKA-block group; (e) no differentiation group. Cells in Groups a–d treated with 8-Br-cAMP for 21 days. Data represent results of three independent experiments. Error bars represent SEM. *p < 0.05; ***p < 0.001. (B) Quantification of ELISA data representing three independent experiments. Error bars represent SEM. ***p < 0.001. (C) Western blot analyses of cytokeratin (CK), CD9, and vimentin (Vim) in cell lysates isolated from WJ-MSCs in the five groups. Fusion protein detected with anti-CK, anti-Vim, and anti-CD13 antibodies, and anti-GAPDH (GD) antibody was used as a loading control. (D) Quantification of western blot data representing three independent experiments. Error bars represent SEM. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.005. PRL prolactin, IGFBP1 insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1