Figure 1.

Asxl1 Is Required for BMSC Self-Renewal and Differentiation

(A) Proliferation assays show impaired growth of Asxl1^−/− BMSCs compared with WT (n = 4 mice per genotype from at least three independent experiments).

(B) The frequency of non-adherent mesenspheres from Asxl1^−/− BMSCs is significantly decreased compared with WT BMSCs. An equal number of BMSCs were plated (n = 5 mice per genotype from three independent experiments).

(C) Self-renewal capacity of BMSCs was assayed by clonal non-adherent sphere formation. Asxl1^−/− BMSCs (n = 10 mice) exhibit a significantly decreased sphere diameter compared with WT BMSCs (n = 8 mice). Scale bar represents 100 μm.

(D) The formation of secondary spheres from Asxl1^−/− BMSCs is also significantly reduced compared with WT BMSCs (n = 5 mice per genotype).

(E) ALP staining shows significantly decreased osteoblast differentiation by Asxl1^−/− BMSCs (n = 11 mice) as compared with WT BMSCs (n = 9 mice).

(F) Oil red O staining shows significantly increased adipocyte differentiation by Asxl1^−/− BMSCs compared with WT BMSCs (n = 11 mice per genotype). Scale bar represents 50 μm.

Data are presented as mean ± SEM. ^∗∗p < 0.005, ^∗∗∗p < 0.001. See also Figure S1.