Journal: Materials science & engineering. C, Materials for biological applications

Article Title: Vascular extracellular matrix and fibroblasts-coculture directed differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells toward smooth muscle-like cells for vascular tissue engineering

doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2018.07.061

Figure Lengend Snippet: Respective and combinational effects of ECM, fibroblasts and growth factors cocktail (GFC) on the morphology of MSCs. (a) Phase contrast and (b) confocal microscopy images of primary MSCs. (c) Phase contrast and (d) confocal microscopy images of MSCs after 14-day indirect cocultured with fibroblasts. (e) Phase contrast and (f) confocal microscopy images of MSCs after 14-day cultured with GFC. (g) Phase contrast and (h) confocal microscopy images of MSCs after 14-day cultured on the decellularized ECM scaffold. (i) Phase contrast and (j) confocal microscopy images of MSCs after 14-day cultured in the combined 3D coculture model. (k) Phase contrast and (l) confocal microscopy images of VSMCs. Similar to GFC, both decellularized ECM scaffold and indirect coculturing with fibroblasts have the capability to induce the differentiation of MSCs toward VSMCs.

Article Snippet: Images were acquired using an inverted phase contrast microscopy (IX83, Olympus microscope).

Techniques: Confocal Microscopy, Cell Culture