Figure 11.

Osteogenic potential of human Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJ-MSCs) treated with Cytochalasin B (CB). hWJ-MSCs were induced to differentiate into the osteogenic lineage for a total period of 21 days. Cells were cultured in standard medium (SM) or in osteogenic differentiation medium (OM), without (CTR) or with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) 0.05% (CB vehicle) or CB at 0.1, 1, or 3 μM. The final osteogenic commitment was evaluated by Alizarin Red S staining. (a) Representative images of hWJ-MSCs cultured in SM or in OM and stained with Alizarin Red S, were acquired under phase contrast illumination using a light microscope (Leica Labovert FS Inverted Microscope) and a Leica MC170 HD Imaging System Camera. Osteogenesis was highlighted by the presence of red calcium deposits. Scale bars: 50 μm. (b) Left columns: hWJ-MSCs cultured in SM; coloured and striped right columns: hWJ-MSCs cultured in OM. The Alizarin Red S dye incorporated into the matrix was solubilized with 10% acetic acid and absorbance was read at 405 nm with a spectrophotometer plate reader (Wallac 1420 Victor2 Multilabel Counter). Data are expressed as mean of Alizarin Red S absorbance (Abs) at 405 nm ± standard deviation (SD). ^# p < 0.05 and ^### p < 0.001 vs. corresponding hWJ-MSCs cultured in SM; ^§§§ p < 0.001 vs. untreated hWJ-MSCs (CTR) cultured in OM; n = 3.