FIGURE 2.
The aNSCs self-renew on vmIPNs of ≥100 Pa. (A) Phase-contrast images of aNSCs on vmIPNs in media conditions that promoted self-renewal (20 ng/mL FGF-2). (B) Immunocytochemistry confirmed that all cells contained the progenitor cell marker, nestin (green), and low levels of β-tubulin III (red) and GFAP (blue), which appear as faintly purple cells. (C) Growth rate of undifferentiated stem cells as a function of substrate elastic modulus. The aNSC number with time on vmIPNs was fit to a Verhulst logistic growth model (n = 3). Growth rates are normalized to laminin polystyrene substrates (r = 0.33–0.39 1/h; doubling time, 1/r = 25–30 h; carrying capacity, 6.6 × 105 cells/cm2 or 3800 cells per image). Error bars are 95% confidence intervals, and p-values <0.05, based on Student's t-test under laminin-coated polystyrene surface conditions, are shown.