Cell Communication in a Coculture System Consisting of Outgrowth Endothelial Cells and Primary Osteoblasts
Figure 2
Calcification and osteogenesis. (a) Cocultures (co) and monocultures (pOB and OEC) were compared using alizarin red staining (μM/mg protein) at two different time points (one week versus four weeks) revealing a higher amount in the longer cultivated cocultures and pOBs. ALP (b), BMP-2, and BMP-4 (c) mRNA expression was determined via quantitative real-time RT PCR in cocultures after a cultivation time of one week and four weeks. A relevant upregulation of several genes connected with osteogenesis could be detected using a PCR array system (d, e). It was shown that cocultures after four weeks express a higher amount of ALP, BMP-2, and BMP-4 mRNA than cocultures after one week. One week values were set as control (=1.0) (*), .
