Fig. 2
Comparison of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cultures. (A a) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that porcine treated dentin matrix (pTDM) fully exposed dentinal tubules. (A b, and c) More cells were observed on the surface of SHEDs/pTDM complex cultured in 3D conditions compared with those cultured under 2D conditions detected by SEM. (B) Positive staining of phalloidin showed that 5 × 105 SHEDs combined with pTDM cultured in 3D conditions exhibited higher cell adherence to the surface of pTDM compared with 2D culture. (C) Changes in SHEDs/pTDM complexes cultured in 2D and 3D conditions from 0 to 24 h. (D) Expression levels of odontogenesis-related genes (DSPP, DMP1, POSTN, OCN, COL-1, and RUNX2) in SHEDs/pTDM complex cultured in 3D and 2D conditions. Scale bar = 40 μm (A a), scale bars = 100 μm (A b, and c), scale bars = 75 μm (B), scale bars = 500 μm (C). **** p < 0.0001