Fig. 3

Cell expansion, long term maintenance of progenitor cells and formation of erythroblastic islands. a Cell proliferation measured using the MTS assay of NBM cultures over a 4-week period (n = 3). p = 0.0003 for 2D MNCs vs. 3D CD34⁺ culture, p = 0.0004 for 3D MNCs vs. 3D CD34⁺ culture and p = 0.0011 for 3D CD34⁺ vs. 2D CD34⁺ culture. b Cell proliferation measured using the MTS assay of MDS-RS cultures over a 4-week period (n = 5 for 2D MNC, n = 4 for 3D MNC, n = 3 for 3D CD34⁺ and n = 6 for 2D CD34⁺ culture). p = 0.0299 for 2D MNCs vs. 3D CD34⁺ culture, p = 0.0265 for 3D MNCs vs. 3D CD34⁺ culture and p = 0.0250 for 3D CD34⁺ vs. 2D CD34⁺ culture. All data are plotted as mean (±SEM) expansion after normalization with control medium/scaffolds. One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD post hoc test was used for calculations. c Long-term culture-colony forming cell (LTC-CFC) colonies derived from cells extracted after week 4 of NBM culture in indicated conditions; scale bar, 100 μm. Experiments were repeated two times. d LTC-CFC colonies derived from cells extracted after week 4 of MDS-RS cultures in indicated conditions; scale bar, 100 μm. Experiments were repeated two times. e Three representative images of erythroblastic islands from week 4 of 3D MNC, 2D MNC, and 3D CD34⁺ cultures of NBM stained with May-Grünwald Giemsa; scale bar 20 μm. f Three representative images of erythroblastic islands from week 4 of 3D MNC, 2D MNC, and 3D CD34⁺ cultures of MDS-RS samples stained with May-Grünwald Giemsa; scale bar 20 μm