Fig. 1

GDF11 enhanced retention of MSCs in vivo. MSCs were transduced with lentiviral vectors carrying genes for luciferase and GDF11 (MSC^GDF11) or no GDF11 (MSC^Vector). A Bioluminescence images of mice injected with MSCs expressing luciferase show the difference of cell survive rate between MSC^Vector and MSC^GDF11 at day 0,1,3,7 post-cell injection. B Quantitative analysis of relative luminescence intensity on mice to represent the retained MSCs in the ischemic muscles. Relative intensity was obtained by comparing with the intensity of GDF11^vector at day 0. N = 5 for MSCs^Vector, and 6 for MSCs^GDF11. C Engrafted MSCs were identified by staining for GFP expression in sections of muscle tissue obtained from animals killed at day 3 after artery ligation and cell administration. Nuclei were counterstained with Hoechst 33258. D Retention rates were quantified as the number of GFP + cells out of the total number of cells (nuclei). (n = 5 in each group). **p < 0.05 MSCs^Vector versus MSCs^GDF11. E Apoptotic cells were identified on day 3 after ischemic surgery via TUNEL staining (red) in the ischemic limb sections of mice treated differently, and nuclei were counterstained with Hoechst 33258 (blue); bar = 100 μm. F Apoptotic cells were quantified as the percentage of cells that were positive for TUNEL staining. (n = 5 in each group). *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01 and ***p < 0.001