The Differential Effects of Leukocyte-Containing and Pure Platelet-Rich Plasma on Nucleus Pulposus-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Implications for the Clinical Treatment of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Figure 1

NPMSCs possessed the typical characteristics of MSCs for self-renewing, clonogenicity, stem cell markers, and multidifferentiation potential. (a) The morphology of primary cells (100x). (b) A typical sunflower-like cell colony at passage 1 (100x). (c) Cells displayed a uniform cobblestone-like morphology (100x). (d) The genes of CD29, CD44, and CD166 expressed strongly in cells of passage 2 but not in NP cells and seldom expressed CD14, CD8, and CD4; The spleen cells expressed all genes above as positive controls; the NP cells did not express these genes as a negative control. (e) Micrographs showing accumulation of mineralized calcium deposition in noninduced cells (NI) and osteoinduced cells (OS), as determined by alizarin red staining (100x). (f) Micrographs showing degree of lipid droplets in noninduced cells (NI) and adipoinduced cells (AD) as assessed by Oil red O staining (NI100x, AD400x). (g) Micrographs showing the levels of chondrogenesis in noninduced cells (NI) and chondrogenic induction cell (CH), as measured by Alcian blue staining.

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