Figure 3.

Discovery of Novel NC Markers, FABP4, AKR1C1, APOE, and their pathway/network analysis

(A) Comparison of the expression level of novel top markers in human neonatal versus adult IVD.

(B) Immunostaining of novel NC markers in neonatal and adult IVD are shown. The scale bar = 100 μm and original magnification = 20x. Qiagen IPA software was used to plot the (C) VEGF-regulated network involving FABP4 marker in NC1 subpopulation in neonatal IVD and P38-MAPK-regulated network involving FABP4 marker in NC1 subpopulation in adult IVD.

(D) TGFB1-regulated network involving AKR1C1 marker in NC2 subpopulation in neonatal IVD.

(E) Top biological functions activated by AKR1C1/AKR1C2 and ranked by the activation score in NC1 subpopulation in neonatal IVD.