Fig. 2

OCT4 increased proliferation capacity and differentiation potential in hHFMSCs. Cell proliferation curve (a) and cell population doubling time (b) of hHFMSCs^EGFP and hHFMSCs^OCT4. c Clone formation assay of hHFMSCs^EGFP and hHFMSCs^OCT4; the enlarged views show the difference between the two cell clones. The histogram is the formation rate for each clone (bar, 200 μm). d Representative sphere images and bar graph of the percentages of spheres in hHFMSCs^EGFP and hHFMSCs^OCT. e Western blot results for the expression of proliferation-associated proteins PCNA and cyclin D1 in hHFMSCs^EGFP and hHFMSCs^OCT4. f Immunofluorescence of proliferation-associated protein Ki67 expression and location in hHFMSCs^EGFP and hHFMSCs^OCT4 (bar, 50 μm). g Effects of OCT4 on hHFMSC cell cycle phase distribution. The percentage of the G1, G2, and S phase in the cell cycle (left of the lower panel) and the PI (right of the lower panel) of the hHFMSCs^EGFP and hHFMSCs^OCT4. “dip” is the abbreviation for diploid. h Osteogenic differentiation in hHFMSCs^EGFP and hHFMSCs^OCT4. Calcium nodules were detected by Alizarin Red S staining (bar, 200 μm). (*p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001)