Figure 3.

Hypoxia induces embryonic transcription factors in adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Exposure of adult human MSCs to hypoxia (1% for 7 days) increases the expression of the embryonic pluripotency genes Oct-4 and Nanog as assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Y-axis indicates relative gene expression normalized to normoxic control gene expression levels (A). Immunofluorescence staining for Oct-4 confirms increased nuclear levels of Oct-4 in hypoxia (1% for 7 days) as well as when exposed to the prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor dimethyloxallyl glycine (DMOG; B). ESC: embryonic stem cell. Scale bar: 20 μm.