Figure 4. Smooth muscle differentiation of USCs.
(A) Myogenically differentiated USCs from fresh urine and preserved urine expressed smooth muscle markers (such as desmin, myosin smoothelin, calponin and α-smooth muscle actin) that were similar to the ureter SMCs, while few cells displayed the same specific staining in un-induced USCs assessed by immunofluorescent staining. Scale bar = 50 uM. SMCs = ureter smooth muscle cells; USCs = urine derived stem cells. (B) Preserved USCs and fresh USCs 14 days after myogenic differentiation expressed about one-half to two thirds the amount of smooth muscle-specific protein (i.e. smoothelin, desmin and myosin ) compared to control (ureter SMCs) assessed by Western blot analysis. (C) Preserved USCs and fresh USCs displayed a strong contraction to calcium-ionophore A21387 (10−5 M) (61.4% and 60.2%, respectively) similar to the response of ureter SMC (68.9%). Non-induced USCs from fresh or preserved urine specimens lacked responses to calcium-ionophore in contractility analysis.