Figure 5. CD73⁺CD90⁺ and podoplanin⁺CD36⁺ cells upregulate markers consistent with contractile cells.

(A) FACS sorting was used to isolate CD73⁺CD90⁺ and podoplanin⁺CD36⁺ cells from placental villous core digests (n=3). CD73⁺CD90⁺ (B) and podoplanin⁺CD36⁺ (I) cell expression of αSMA (C, F, J, M), calponin (D, G, K, H) or MYH-11 (E, H, L, O) following 7 days of culture in advanced-DMEM/F12 or EGM-2. Irrelevant mouse IgG (P) and rabbit IgG (Q) were used as negative controls. Decidual sections containing spiral arteries with intact smooth muscle layers were used as positive controls for staining (R–T). Scale bar = 100 µm.