Table 2.

BMP2 instructed neuronal differentiation of sciatic nerve p75⁺P₀⁻ cells is promoted by culture in decreased oxygen

	Plating efficiency (%)	Types of colonies (%)
		All neurons	Some neurons	No neurons
No add
20% O2	22.7  ± 8.5	0.0  ± 0.0	0.0  ± 0.0	100.0  ± 0.0
∼5% O2	33.4  ± 7.3*	0.0  ± 0.0	0.4  ± 0.9	99.6  ± 0.9
+BMP2
20% O2	26.8  ± 8.9	31.5  ± 17.9	52.5  ± 18.9	15.9  ± 5.7
∼5% O2	43.4  ± 11.5*	59.5  ± 10.8*	35.0  ± 11.1	5.5  ± 1.4*

p75⁺P₀⁻ cells were sorted into cultures at clonal density and cultured for 5 or 6 d, followed by staining for peripherin, a marker of peripheral neurons. Plating efficiency indicates the percentage of cells initially sorted into culture that went on to form colonies. Data are presented as mean ± SD for five independent experiments. Results at different oxygen concentrations (within no add or +BMP2 treatments) were compared byt tests, and significantly different statistics are noted by asterisks (p < 0.05). Decreased oxygen culture significantly increased plating efficiency in both treatments and neuronal differentiation in the presence of BMP2.