Figure 3. Phenotypic differentiation of NSCs and ECs is affected by endothelial morphogenesis.

(A) NSCs cocultured with ECs significantly increased differentiation in relation to monoculture (solid and dashed lines for STROC05 and CTXOE03 respectively). Especially STROC05 increased neuronal differentiation (MAP2+ cells). Seeding numbers of NSC at which endothelial morphogenesis was highest (25,000 for STROC05 and 100,000 for CTXOE03) exhibited the greatest effect on NSC differentiation indicating a potential coupling of the two processes. (B) Conversely, in NSC/EC coculture, mature EC markers CD31 and VE-Cadherin were reduced in D3 cells compared to EC monocultures. A dose-dependent effect for STROC05 and CTXOE03 was evident for both markers. ZO1 and CD146 were comparable with only a difference being evident at the highest coculture ratio. Consistent with the decrease in mature ECs markers, CD133 expressed in immature ECs was almost twice as high. Data represent the mean and error bars indicate 1 standard deviation. (*)p < 0.05, (**)p < 0.01, (***)p < 0.001, (****)p < 0.0001.