Figure 5

Summary of flow cytometry analysis of SMCs and lineage surface markers expression into BMe+50EGF cultured ATMCs. (a) Intracellular flow cytometry quantification of cells expressing SMCs markers (SM22α, caldesmon, calponin, α-SMA, desmin and SM-myosin) among freshly isolated ATMCs (0 h), ATMCs cultured for 5, 10 and 15 days in BMe+50EGF and the rat aortic VSMCs line A7r5 VSMCs. (b) Quantification of percentages of cells expressing haematopoietic (CD45 and CD11b), stem cells (CD117), mesenchymal and stromal (CD44, Sca1, CD29, CD54, CD90.2) and endothelial (CD31, CD106) surface markers in freshly isolated ATMCs (0 h) and ATMCs cultures for 5, 10 and 15 days in BMe+50EGF. (a and b) Results were deduced from n=3 independent cultures. Significant changes (⁺P<0.05; ^†P<0.03; ^‡P<0.01) in marker expression suffered by ATMCs through cultures steps (day 5 compared with 0 h; day 10 compared with day 5 and day 15 compared with day 10) were evaluated by using Student’s t-test. ATMCs cultured for 15 days into BMe+50EGF were also compared against A7r5 VSMCs