Figure 4.

A)MCNP-mediated magnetically-facilitated delivery of siRNA against SOX9 (siSOX9) and CAVEOLIN-1 (siCAV) for inducing neural differentiation of NSCs. B) Fluorescence microscopy images depicting neuronal (top row) and oligodendrocyte differentiation (bottom row) of the NSCs following delivery of siSOX9 and siCAV respectively using MCNPs. The NSCs were stained with MBP (oligodendrocytes) and GFAP (astrocytes) in the case of MCNP/siCAV treated cells and for TUJ1 (neurons) and GFAP (astrocytes) in case of MCNP/siSOX9 treated cells on day 7 of transfection. The nucleus was stained with Hoechst. Scale bar is 1 µm C) Quantification of percent cells expressing neural markers when treated MCNP/siCAV and MCNP/siSOX9 as compared to untreated cells. All results represent the average mean of three independent experiments. Values are represented as mean ± SD.^*denotes p <0.001 for neuronal differentiation and ^**denotes p< 0.01 for oligodendrocyte differentiation. D) Dark-field light scattering images for NSCs treated with MCNPs, Core (ZnFe₂O₄) MNPs and untreated NSCs (Control). Please note that the dark-field scattering signals from the core MNP and control experiments come from background signal due to cellular components. Scale bar is 100 nm. E) Signal intensity T2 weighted MR images of MCNP and Core NPs in phantom agar gel at 2–50 µg/ml concentration at 25 °C.