FIG. 6.

Differentiation of spiral ganglion neurons in human nasal MSC-treated cochlear cultures. (A, B) Un-lesioned control at 1 day post-explantation shows extensive synapsin (magenta) and Tuj-1 (orange) labeling. (C, D) Neuron-specific Tuj-1 labeling and synapsin staining is absent in GM-lesioned cochlea without stem cell treatment. (E–G) GM-lesioned stem cell-treated cultures exhibit robust Tuj-1 labeling (orange) of neurons and synapsin labeling (magenta) among lentiGFP-transfected nasal MSCs (green); SNEA and SGA are indicated in the figures. A cluster of ectopically-located nasal MSC-derived cells is visible in this field (G), with extensive synapsin expression and several prominent TuJ-1 (+) processes extending toward the sensory epithelium. Arrows indicate GFP (+)/TuJ-1 (+) cells. (A, C, E) Bar=50 μm. (B, D, F, G) Bar=25 μm. (H) Graph showing the percentage of GFP-labeled MSCs that are positive and negative for Tuj-1 staining. Plotted data correspond to mean±SD. Unpaired two-tailed t-test was applied (n=6 independent specimens/group, ***P<0.001). Color images available online at www.liebertpub.com/scd