Figure 1

ECM scaffolds support CD34+ cell expansion in vitro. (a) Phase contrast images and corresponding cartoons of decellularization process for ECM scaffold generation. After 5 days in ECM-culture cells showed clustered accumulation (red arrows) (b) In vitro TNC and CD34+ cell expansion either on ECM or PCD culture for 5, 7 and 11 days. Fold change in relation to starting cell number. AT-cells are presented as proportion of ECM cultured cells. n = 5, two-tailed t-test, significance in comparison to ECM (c) Representative CFSE-intensity histogram after 5 days in ECM or PCD culture representing distribution of cell generations of CD34+ (red) and CD34- (green) cells. Fresh cells (blue) as control (generation 0). (d) Proportion of 5 days ECM and PCD cultured cells (left) or CD34+ (right) cells in cell generations. n = 3, two-tailed t-test; * = AT-cell and + = SN-cell significance in comparison to PCD. (e) Representative flow cytometry dot-plots for BrdU- and PI-staining (left panel). Quantification of cell cycle phases of SN- and AT-cells after 5 days ECM culture (right panel). n = 3, two-tailed t-test. Error bars, s.e.m.; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.