Figure 8

Histological evaluation of ectopic transplants. hBM-MSCs were cultured under hypoxia, with or without BMP-2/TGF-β1 (B-T), and transfected with NC, COL1A1, and/or HtrA1 siRNAs in type I collagen sponges for 14 days, as described in Fig. 6. They were then implanted subcutaneously in nude mice and monitored for 28 days, as described in Materials and Methods. HES and alizarin red stainings of the constructs were then performed. Images shown are representative of the experimental results obtained from two of three independent experiments. Scale bars: 1 mm and 200 µm.