TGF-β Inhibitor SB431542 Promotes the Differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Embryonic Stem Cells into Mesenchymal-Like Cells

Figure 1

Morphological characteristics of GENEA 02, H9, NF1, and BM-MSCs before and during the differentiation process. (a, b, c) Typical circular and flat colonies with a well-defined border observed in undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells before the differentiation process. (d) Typical spindle-shaped morphology of bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem cells. (e, f, g, h) Regions of SB-induced differentiation were apparent as cells develop an enlarged, flattened epithelial-like morphology in a circular conformation after 10 days of SB431542 exposure. (i, j, k, l) An intermediate morphology was observed on GENEA 02-MSC1, H9-MSC1, and NF1-MSC1 cells while H9 OCT4 mCHERRY-MSC1 still appeared as large and flat cells after one passage in MPC Growth MEM media. (m, n, o, p) A spindle-shaped morphology similar to that of BM-hMSCs was observed in all cell lines examined after three passages in MPC Growth MEM media.

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