Fig. 4.

Floating cells display enhanced mesenchymal properties. (A) MGG6 NS and FC mRNA were analyzed by qRT-PCR for different mesenchymal markers including CD44, vimentin, YKL-40, N-cad, and MMP2. (B) Cell lysates from different cultures were analyzed by western blotting for pSTAT3, STAT3, CD44, C/EBPβ, and β-actin. (C) FACS analysis showing proportion of CD44 positive cells in FC and their corresponding NS from different GSC cultures. (D) MGG29 NS were fractionated into CD44^high and CD44^low subpopulation by FACS and predominant cells were established and labeled with GFP and mCherry, respectively. Left: fluorescence analysis of a mixture of these 2 subpopulations cultured in serum; middle: FC collected and analyzed for both GFP and mCherry; right: flow cytometry of CD44^high cells in both GFP and mCherry populations. (E) NS and FC were differentiated using StemPro Chondrogenesis Differentiation Kit and stained with fast green and safranin O (positive, #; negative, +). (F) NS and FC were cultured as a monolayer and their ability to invade/migrate was evaluated using scratch healing assay. Bright field micrographs are showing for different groups. Scale bar, 50 μm.