Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Regulates MicroRNA 21 Expression to Activate TGF-β Signaling in Human Bone Marrow Stromal Cells to Enhance Osteoblast Differentiation

Figure 3

Effect of PEMF on expression of osteoblastic marker genes and mineralization in hBMSCs. Differentiating preosteoblasts from 24–68-year-old women were grown in the presence of osteoblast differentiation medium after confluence was reached and were treated with PEMF for 33 days or 43 days (59–68-year-old samples) of culture. (a) Total RNA was isolated and subjected to qRT-PCR using specific primers for human ALP, type I collagen, OC, and RPL13A. . (b) Cells were then subjected to Von Kossa staining and the mineralized calcium deposits were quantified. . Statistical analyses were conducted using Wilcoxon signed rank test. The value ≤ 0.05 is considered as significant compared with the controls. (c) An example of Von Kossa staining and mineralized calcium deposits for hBMSCs of a 24-year-old female after 33 days of osteogenic culture in the presence or absence of daily Cervical-Stim PEMF.

(a)

(b)

(c)