Figure 1
Effect of SCX overexpression on tenocytic differentiation.
(a) Flow chart illustrating experimental design for stepwise induction of hESC into tenocytes through SCX overexpression and mechanical stress. (b) Morphology and immunofluorescence analysis of actin, collagen I and Tenascin-C expression in control and SCX overexpressing cell monolayer at 3 days. Cells were co-stained with DAPI (blue) and images were captured at the same parameters. Scale bar, 100 um (left), 50 um (middle) and 20 um (right). (c) Collagen I and Tenascin-C gene expression of control and SCX overexpressing cell sheet at 3, 7, 11 and 16 days after reaching confluence. Transcripts were normalized to GAPDH, fold over control group at day 0. (d) Percentage of scaffold free engineered tendon formation within 24 wells. (e) SCX reduce bone markers ALP, cartilage markers SOX9 and mesodermal markers snail1 and snail2 expression in engineered tendon (day3 after scaffold free engineered tendon formation). Transcripts were normalized to GAPDH. (**, p<0.01; **, p<0.05).
