FIGURE 7.

hucMSCs-ECM improved macrophage-mediated osteogenesis of hBMSCs and bone formation via the MIF signaling pathway. (A) Alizarin red staining and OD value per 10⁴ cells of Alizarin red deposited in calcic nodules of different groups. (B) mRNA levels of osteogenic genes of different groups. (C) Micro-CT analysis of regenerated bone induced by different scaffolds at 4 weeks postimplantation. (D) Masson’s staining for regenerated bone induced by different scaffolds at 4 weeks postimplantation; HB, host bone; S, scaffold fragment; blue arrowhead, necrotic tissue; black arrow, endochondral ossification. Mφ + DBM-CM: the conditioned medium from macrophages cocultured with DBM scaffolds; Mφ + shCtrl-CM: the conditioned medium from macrophages cocultured with the shCtrl scaffolds; Mφ + shmif-CM: the conditioned medium from macrophages cocultured with the shmif scaffolds. Scale bar: 1 mm for (C), scale bar for upper images of panel (D) is 20 μm and lower images of panel (D) is 50 μm; ****p < 0.001; **p < 0.01; *p < 0.05.