Fig. 8.

BRE-KO (A-C) and BRE-WT (D-F) satellite cells were treated with a Wnt agonist (G, a small osteogenic-inducing molecule) for 3-9 days, to test these cells' osteogenic potentials. (A′-F′) are higher magnification of the framed regions in images of (A-F). Alizarin Red staining revealed that BRE-WT satellite cells began to undergo osteogenic differentiation after 3 days treatment (D′). BRE-WT satellite cells produced significantly more calcium depositions at day 7 (E′) and 9 (F′) compared with BRE-KO satellite cells (B′ and C′, respectively). (H) Statistical analysis revealed that the average area occupied by osteoblasts and calcium deposits in BRE-WT cultures was significantly larger than in BRE-KO cultures at day 9 (***P<0.001). Data are presented as mean±s.e.m. Scale bars, 100 μm for A-F, 20 μm for A′-F′.