Figure 1

Flow cytometric analyses for sorting side population cells and its CD31 and CD146 subfraction. The SP fraction comprised 1.59% of the total cells (A), and Hochest 33342 and verapamil staining both ruled out false positive SP cells in the total cells (B). This experiment was repeated eight times, and the SP fractions were 1.368 ± 0.393%. The negative control for the CD31CD146 cells (C). The CD31^-CD146^- cells comprised 95.6% of the total SP cells and the other three subgroups shared less than 5% of the total SP cells (D). The flow cytometric analyses of the cells after being cultured in the differentiation media showed that the CD31⁺CD146⁺ cells comprised 93.1% of the total SP cells (E). Data are expressed as means ± SD. The experiments were repeated three times and one representative experiment is presented. SP, side population.