Figure 3
Combination of SCX with mechanical stress synergistically promotes tendon differentiation in engineered tendon.
(a) qPCR analysis of the gene expression levels of tenogenic markers Collagen Ia1, Ia2, XIV, Eya2, Epha4 and tenomodulin in engineered tendons under mechanical stress after day3 and day 7 (fold over control group without SCX nor mechanical stress). (b) Immunofluorescence analysis of Eya2, collagen XIV and tenomodulin expression in scaffold-free tendon subjected to mechanical stress for 7 days. Cells are co-stained with DAPI (blue) and images were captured at the same parameters. Scale bar, 50 um. (c) Gene expression of osteocalcin(OCN), Smad8 and BMP2 that are associated with osteogenesis, after day3 and day 7. Transcripts were normalized to GAPDH (fold over control group without SCX nor mechanical stress). (n = 2 to 3 for each group from two independent experiments). SCX and mechanical interaction, *p<0.05, **p<0.01; mechanical effects, #, p<0.05, ##, p<0.01; SCX effects, @, p<0.05, @@, p<0.01.
