Figure 9

Conjugated FGF2 enhances neurogenic differentiation of hBM-MSCs. Human BM-MSCs were seeded on cover slips and incubated in neurogenic growth media (control, A,E,I) or neurogenic growth media supplemented with HSA/IO NPs (B,F,J), 50 ng/ml free FGF2 (C,G,K) or 50 ng/ml conjugated FGF2 (D,H,L). Media were changed every 3 days. Fourteen days post seeding, cells were fixed, photographed (top row) or stained with antibodies directed against MAP2 (red, middle row) or GFAP (green, bottom row), and nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (blue). Scale bar 100μm. Arrows in panels C and D point to elongated processes observed only in cells cultured with free or conjugated FGF2.