Fig. 4: The effect of TAZ on BMP9-induced ectopic bone formation in MSCs and MMCs.

A The general observation of the subcutaneous mass of ectopic osteogenesis in nude mice. B Subcutaneous osteoblast mass for micro-CT scanning to get a representative reconstructed 3D image. C Quantitative analysis of bone tissue and the values of TV, BV, BV/TV, BS, BS/BV, Tb.N, Tb.Th, and Tb.Sp were analyzed. D H&E staining and Masson’s Trichrome staining and Alcian Blue staining to detect the formation of trabecular bone, bone matrix, and cartilage matrix under the treatment as shown. The data were shown as mean ± SD for three separated experiments. (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001). TV tissue volume, BV bone volume, BV/TV percent bone volume, BS bone surface, BS/BV bone surface/volume ratio, Tb.N trabecular number, Tb.Th trabecular thickness, Tb.Sp trabecular separation.