Figure 1.

Phenotypic characterization and differentiation of SKPs. ((a)(I)) The appearance of SKPs by phase-contrast microscopy was neurospheres-like before passaging. ((a)(II), (a) (III)) SKPs that were adhered to a poly-d-lysine substratum overnight and then separately labeled with antibodies to nestin and fibronectin. ((a)(IV)–(VI)) Immunofluorescence colocalization analysis of SKPs showed coexpression of nestin (red) and P75 (green), and the nuclei were stained by DAPI. (b) Flow cytometric analysis of cell markers on nestin and α-SMA. Percentages indicate the fraction of cells that stained positive. (c) Differentiation of expanded SKPs into neural and mesodermal lineage cells in vitro. SKPs induced method was described in the “Section 2.” ((c)(I)–(III)) Immunostaining for SKPs, βIII-tubulin (red), the astrocyte marker GFAP (green), and smooth-muscle actin (α-SMA; red). ((c)(IV)) Adipogenesis was visualized by staining Oil red O. Scale bars, 10 μm.