Figure 1.

miR-29b is downregulated during hADSC differentiation. (A) Photograph morphology of hADSCs following Oil Red O, Alizarin Red S or Alcian Blue staining following 21 days of culture in normal, adipogenic, osteogenic or chondrogenic differentiation medium. Magnification, ×200. (B) Alizarin Red S staining at 7, 14 and 21 days following osteogenic differentiation. (C) Quantitative assessment of ALP activity by colorimetric alkaline phosphatase assay at 7, 14 and 21 days after osteogenic differentiation. RT-qPCR analysis was used to assess the mRNA expression levels of the osteogenic differentiation markers (D) Runx2, (E) BSP, (F) OPN and (G) osteocalcin at 7, 14 and 21 days following osteogenic differentiation. (H) Heatmap of miRNA profiles represents the differentially expressed miRNAs between differentiated and undifferentiated hADSCs. Green indicates low expression levels; red indicates high expression levels. (I) RT-qPCR analysis was used to assess the expression levels of miR-29b on days 7, 14 and 21 post-induction. Data are represented as the means ± SD of 3 independent experiments. ^**P<0.01 vs. bM group. hADSC, human adipose derived mesenchymal stem cell; Runx2, runt-related transcription factor 2; BSP, bone sialoprotein; OPN, osteopontin; bM, basal mesenchymal stem cell culture medium.