Table 3.

Immunohistochemical characterisation of extracellular matrix (ECM) formed by adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSC) in 3D culture for two to five weeks^a

ECM protein	Mean histological grading score Mean of four experiments +/- standard deviation
	- TGFβ	+ TGFβ
Keratin sulphateb	1.5 ± 0.58	2.5 ± 0.58
Chondroitin sulphate	2.5 ± 0.58	3.0 ± 0.00
Collagenb type I	2.4 ± 0.42	3.0 ± 0.00
Collagen type II	2.4 ± 0.42	2.6 ± 0.42
Decorinb	1.5 ± 0.58	2.3 ± 0.50

^aScoring scale: 1 = very slight localization; 2 = modest localisation; 3 = abundant localisation. ^bTranforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) treated cells gave a significantly higher score compared with untreated cells (p < 0.05).