Focal Adhesion Kinase and ROCK Signaling Are Switch-Like Regulators of Human Adipose Stem Cell Differentiation towards Osteogenic and Adipogenic Lineages

Figure 1

Cell viability and proliferation after 7 and 14 days of culture in response to inhibition of FAK, ERK1/2, and ROCK signaling. (a) hASCs were cultured 7 or 14 d in BM, OM, and AM supplemented with FAK, ERK1/2, and ROCK inhibitors. The inhibitor effect on proliferation was studied in each culture condition separately by comparing the different inhibitor concentrations with the untreated medium control. Significance level 5%, designated with an asterisk (). FAK, ERK, and ROCK inhibitors: (independent biological replicates from 4 donors). (b) Representative fluorescence images of LIVE/DEAD-stained hASCs. hASCs were cultured in BM, OM, or AM supplemented with the abovementioned inhibitors. Cell viability was analyzed with LIVE/DEAD assay at 7 d. Green dye represents living cells, red dye dead cells. Scale bar 1.0 mm. BM: basic medium; OM: osteogenic medium; AM: adipogenic medium.

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