Involvement of WNT Signaling in the Regulation of Gestational Age-Dependent Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Proliferation

Figure 1

Characterization of UC-MSCs from term and preterm infants. (a) UC-MSCs from preterm (24 weeks of gestation, preterm UC-MSCs) and term (38 weeks of gestation, term UC-MSCs) newborns at passage numbers 6 to 7 were examined by phase-contrast microscopy. The images shown are representative of three independent experiments. Scale bars show 100 μm. (b) Preterm and term UC-MSCs were analyzed by flow cytometer using antibodies against MSC markers (CD14, CD19, CD34, CD45, CD73, CD90, CD105, and HLA-DR) defined by ISCT [22]. The histograms shown are representative of three independent experiments. (c) Preterm and term UC-MSCs were differentiated into adipocyte as visualized by Oil Red O and into osteocyte as visualized by Alizarin Red S and chondrocyte as visualized by Toluidine Blue. The images shown are representative of three independent experiments. Scale bars represent 50 μm.

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