Fig. 4
Fibroblasts induce NP cells towards a fibrotic phenotype. a Immunofluorescence analysis of KRT19 (red) and FSP1 (green) expression in the coculture system of NP cells with L929 or 293T cells. Nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (blue). b Immunofluorescence analysis of GFP (green) and FSP1 (red) expression in the coculture system of GFP+ve NP cells with GFP−ve L929 or 293T cells. Nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (blue). c Immunofluorescence images of the expression of FSP1 (red) in IVD tissue derived from GFP (green) transgenic rats under each experimental condition. Nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (blue). The white arrow shows GFP+ve native and healthy NP cells. The red arrow indicates GFP+ve and FSP1+ve NP cells exhibiting a fibrotic phenotype. The yellow arrow indicates GFP−ve and FSP1+ve allogenic DFbs. d The proportions of GFP−ve and FSP1+ve, GFP+ve and FSP1+ve, and GFP+ve and FSP1−ve cells were quantified and plotted. e Immunofluorescence analysis of the expression of KRT19 (red) and FSP1 (green) in IVD tissue from normal and post-PELD patients. Scale bars, 10 μm. Error bars represent the S.D.
