Fig. 3

In-vitro osteogenic induction experiments based on rBMSCs co-cultured using mineralized ZIF-8 in the osteogenic induction solution-free normal medium. a) Typical digital images showing rBMSCs subjected to incubation using mineralized ZIF-8 showed the obvious mineralization ECM that contained mineralized crystalloid after 14 days, in comparison with rBMSCs subjected to incubation in normal medium (Alizarin red S staining.) b) Early (Runx2/Alp) and late (Ocn/Opn) markers for osteogenesis were remarkably up-regulated within rBMSCs after 5 and 14 days compared with those subjected to mineralized ZIF-8 incubation. c, d) WB images and summary analysis demonstrated the identical RUNX2/ALP/ OCN /OPN RUNX2 protein up-regulation trend. ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, ns: not significant (n = 3)