Figure 5.

ASCs increase the levels of CD68⁺CD206⁺ macrophages treated with ARDS serum. (a) Peritoneal macrophages (M) (2 × 10⁶ cells/well) were cultured alone, cocultured directly with ASCs, or cocultured with ASCs via Transwell (M : ASCs ratio = 4 : 1) for 48 h. Cells were then washed and incubated for 24 h with fresh culture medium plus 8% FBS (M group) or 8% pooled serum from ARDS patients collected at the peak of their clinical symptoms. n = 4 per group. (b) Serum samples for culture medium (8%) were from healthy subjects or ARDS patients treated with placebo or ASCs in a previous clinical trial. n = 3 per group. The expression of CD206⁺CD68⁺ cells was analyzed via flow cytometry. NS = nonsignificant. All data are expressed as mean ± SEM. ^∗ p < 0.05 and ^∗∗ p < 0.01.