Figure 4.

3D culture of hESCs (HUES2) and hiPS‐NPC (Axol cells) in RGD‐alginate showed higher viability than unmodified alginate in 14 days of culture. (a) RGD‐alginate beads increased cell viability of encapsulated HUES2. (b) Axol and Axol‐ChR2 cells demonstrated higher viability in RGD‐alginate than alginate. Live cells were stained with Calcein‐AM (green); dead cells were stained with propidium iodide, PI (red). Images were captured using confocal microscopy (Zeiss‐LSM 710) and processed with ZEN light 2011 software. The percentage of surviving cells was determined by the number of green signals divided by the total number of cells (green and red signals) and analysed using a sectional‐views in ImageJ software. Significance was tested by ANOVA; ** = p < 0.01; n.s. denoted a non‐significant value and error bars represent standard deviation (± SD)