Figure 8: Immunohistochemical analysis of newly formed bone.

(A) Cells with positively stained cytoplasm were observed as brown nodes, while the cell nuclei were observed as blue nodes. The expression levels of SMAD4, Runx2 and Osterix in Lenti-miR-146a, Lenti-miR-146a inhibitor, Lenti-miR-NC and control groups. Scale bar: 200 μm (B) Positive cell ratios of SMAD4, Runx2 and Osterix in newly formed bone were determined by dividing the number of SMAD4-, Runx2- and Osterix-positive cell by the total cell number. ^#Represents significant differences between the Lenti-miR-146a and Lenti-miR-NC groups; *represents significant differences between the Lenti-miR-146a inhibitor and Lenti-miR-NC groups; ^&represents significant differences between the Lenti-miR-146a, Lenti-miR-146a inhibitor, Lenti-miR-NC and the control groups. ^##P < 0.05, ^###P < 0.01; **P < 0.05, ***P < 0.01, ^&P < 0.05.