Figure 5.
Quantitative analysis of NSPC migration at days 1 and 3. The count of NPSCs migrating away from the injection site towards the exogenous SDF-1α was significantly increased in the HA-Lm gel compared to bolus injection at both 1 and 3 days (A). When normalized to NPSC retention, the HA-Lm gel increased sustained NPSC migration compared to bolus conditions (B,C). NPSCs transplanted bolus exhibited reduced numbers of migrating NPSCs at day 3 compared to day 1, while NPSC migration at day 3 was increased over that at day 1 when transplanted in the HA-Lm gel (not significantly different, B). Sustained NPSC migration at day 3 to a distance of 0.23 – 0.345 mm away from NPSC injection site was significantly increased when transplanted in the HA-Lm gel compared to bolus (C). *p<0.05 compared to bolus injection group of same time point.