Fig. 2

MSCs stimulated tube formation in vitro and induced neovessel formation in vivo. (A) Representative images of tube formation in HUVECs cultured with conditioned medium of UCMSCs or ADMSCs. Scale bar: 500 μm. (B-D) Quantification for tube formation assay: total tube length, number of nodes and junctions. n = 3 independent experiments. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Data are mean ± SD. (E) Appearance of Matrigel plug after transplanting MSCs for 14 days in nude mice. (F, G) Representative images of neovasculature formed by MSCs in Matrigel plugs in nude mice using immunofluorescence staining with anti-CD31 and their quantification. (n = 3 Matrigel plugs per group). Scale bar: 200 μm. (H, I) Representative images of microvessel outgrowth from aortic rings on day 10 cultured in conditioned medium from UCMSCs or ADMSCs, with corresponding number of sprouts. n = 5, repeating three times. Scale bar: 100 μm. (J) mRNA expression analysis of the paracrine factors bFGF, EGF, HGF, VEGF and IGF-1 in UCMSCs and ADMSCs. n = 3 independent experiments. Statistical comparisons were conducted using one-way ANOVA for three groups, and unpaired t test for two-group comparisons. Data are mean ± SD. ns (p ≥ 0.05), *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001