Fig. 3: Characterization of salivary progenitor activity in 2D and 3D assays.
A Giemsa staining of salivary colonies obtained in 2D colony-forming cell (CFC) assay showing three distinct morphologies under the microscope. B Plot showing the proportions of each of the three distinct colony types in 2D CFC assays when cells are plated, based on salivary gland type, immunophenotype, or in successive passages. C Plot showing the frequency of CFC and 3D-matrigel OIC when plated based on salivary gland type, immunophenotype, or in successive passages in the 2D CFC and 3D-matrigel organoid assays. D Brightfield microscopy images showing 3D-matrigel organoids obtained from FACS-purified CD24+ and EpCAM+ salivary cells, but not from CD24- and EpCAM- salivary cells. E Immunophenotypic characterization of single cells obtained from 3D-matrigel organoids and 2D culture expanded cells from human patient salivary gland tissue-organoids. F Plot showing progenitor yield per starting single PG and SMG cell in culture over time. (*, **, and *** indicate p-values < 0.05, 0.005, and 0.0005, respectively. #, ##, and ### represent p-values < 5 × 10−7, 5 × 10−10, and 5 × 10−13, respectively).
