Fig. 2.

SDF-1/Cxcr4 axis induces cell growth in rat papilla organ culture. A: example of isolated papilla cultured inside 3D gels made of collagens I and IV. Note cellular outgrowth, particularly in the lateral regions of the top papilla (arrows). B: surface area occupied by the cellular outgrowth from the top papilla was inhibited by a neutralizing antibody to SDF-1 (top, n = 4; P < 0.001) but it was not affected by the same concentration of irrelevant rabbit IgG (Bottom, n = 4). C: Cxcr4 blocker AMD3100 also inhibited cellular outgrowth (n = 6; P < 0.01). D: in the absence of bFGF and EGF, papillary outgrowth was reduced (compare with control values in B and C), but it was enhanced by the addition of SDF-1 (n = 6; P < 0.001). *P < 0.05.