Figure 3.

hSCPs Can Rapidly and Efficiently Differentiate into Schwann Cells

(A) Schematic representation of the differentiation of hSCPs into Schwann cells. Bottom, representative phase-contrast images of cells during differentiation into hSCP-SCs. Scale bar, 200 μm.

(B) qPCR analysis of the Schwann cell marker genes GFAP, PLP, PMP22, and S100 during the differentiation of H9-SCPs into hSCP-SCs. Mean ± SE (n = 3 independent experiments). All values are relative to H9-SCPs.

(C) qPCR analysis of neurotrophic factors (BDNF, GDNF, and NGF) and Schwann cell marker genes (MPZ, MBP NGFR, PMP22, S100, and SOX10) in hSCP-derived Schwann cells obtained after 10 days of differentiation. The ratio of the mRNA expression level of the indicated gene versus GAPDH was defined as 2^−dCt. Mean ± SE (n = 5 independent experiments).

(D) Immunostaining for the Schwann cell markers NGFR (green), S100 (red), EGR2 (green), and MPZ (red) after 10 days of differentiation. Cell nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue). Scale bars, 100 μm.

(E) Microarray analysis was used to compare the gene expression levels in hSCPs with those in hSCP-SCs and in primary hSCs. The heatmap shows the relative value of the log10 fold-change based on the value in undifferentiated H9 hESCs.