Insulin Enhances the In Vitro Osteogenic Capacity of Flexor Tendon-Derived Progenitor Cells

Figure 2

(a) Alizarin Red-stained TPC osteogenic cultures supplemented with 0, 0.07, and 0.7 nM/L insulin. Insulin promoted cell aggregation and mineralized matrix secretion as evidenced by intensity of Alizarin Red stain uptake. Scale microns. (b) mRNA levels (normalized to EF1a) of RUNX2, ALP, and Osteonectin (OSN) in TPC osteogenic cultures supplemented with 0, 0.07, and 0.7 nM/L insulin. Insulin treatment significantly increased osteogenic gene expression. represents a significant difference (5) between treatment groups. (c) Alkaline phosphatase bioactivity (normalized to total DNA content) of TPC osteogenic cultures supplemented with 0, 0.07, and 0.7 nM/L insulin. represents a significant increase in alkaline phosphatase activity ().

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