Research Article

Serum-Free Culture of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Aggregates in Suspension Bioreactors for Tissue Engineering Applications

Figure 8

Analysis of static aggregates of different sizes cultured for 8 days. Collagen and sGAG quantification in digested tissue-like aggregates shown by (a) total weight, (b) normalized to the DNA content, and (c) productivity per input cell number. Collagen quantified using hydroxyproline quantification. sGAG quantified using DMMB reaction. DNA quantified using CyQUANT Cell Proliferation Assay Kit. Significance between aggregate sizes is denoted by different alphabetical letters (); absence of lettering on graph meaning no significant difference. Collagen fibrils imaged using SHG (grey). All other ECM and cells were imaged using AF (teal). Intensity of signal quantified using ImageJ. (c) SHG intensity normalized to AF intensity. (d) SHG images overlaid with AF images. .
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