The Identification of CEP-derived stem cells (CESCs).

<p>A. In vitro trilineage differentiation assay of CESCs. CESCs were able to osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation under appropriate conditions. The mineralized matrix, stained with alizarin red was shown in A2 after 21 days osteogenic differentiation, and no alizarin red positive matrix was found in cells cultured in growth medium (A1). The intracellular lipid droplets, stained with Oil Red O was shown in A4 after 21 days adipogenic differentiation, and no adipocytes were found in cells cultured in growth medium (A3). Cells cultured in chondrogenic induction medium formed an aggregate (A5), and its histologic section stained with alcian blue was shown in A6. B. flow cytometric immunophenotyping of CESCs. The green lines represent the fluorescence intensity of cells stained with the indicated antibodies and the red lines represent the negative control cells, which were stained with a non-immunoreactive isotype control antibody. C. Morphology of CESCs. They were spindle-shaped and polygonal-shaped adherent cells. Bar = 100 µm.