Figure 6.

TGF-β1 signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in CNT-promoted cardiogenesis in BASCs.

Notes: (A) The amount of the total TGF-β1 in BASCs grown on CNT-Col substrates and Col substrates at days 3 and 7. (B) Quantification of the active TGF-β1 released in BASCs grown on CNT-Col substrates and Col substrates at days 3 and 7. The results were measured as a percentage of total TGF-β1. (C) and (D) Western blot showed BASCs grown on CNT-Col showed a remarkable increase in TGF-β1-induced Smad2 phosphorylation when compared with the control group at day 7. (E) and (F) Western blot showed the markedly elevated expression of β1-integrin in cultured BASCs on CNT-Col substrates compared to those on Col substrates at day 7. Data are means ± SEM. *Significant difference when compared to control group, *P<0.05, **P<0.01. All experiments were performed in triplicate.

Abbreviations: CNT, carbon nanotube; Col, collagen; BASCs, brown adipose-derived stem cells; SEM, standard error of mean.