Fig. 7

Myogenic differentiation in fibrin/fibrin-collagen-I gels. Markers are presented with mean +/- SD. a Real-time PCR of MEF2 in MSC and myoblast (Mb) co-cultures cultivated in fibrin and fibrin-collagen-I gels. The expression of MEF2 was highly significantly upregulated over time in 5-mg/ml fibrin-collagen-I gels. MEF2 expression was significantly and highly significantly downregulated in other gel conditions. Expressions are shown in x-fold difference compared with co-cultures cultivated in 2D in control medium. b Real-time PCR of ACTN2 in MSC and Mb co-cultures cultivated in fibrin and fibrin-collagen-I gels. The expression of ACTN2 was highly significantly upregulated over time in 5-mg/ml fibrin-collagen I-gels. ACTN2 expression was downregulated in other conditions, except 5-mg/ml fibrin-collagen-I gels with similar expression compared with the control. Expressions are shown in x-fold difference compared with co-cultures cultivated in 2D in control medium. c Real-time PCR of different myogenic markers (DES, MEF2, MyHC2, ACTN2) and IGFBPs (IGFBP-4, -5, -6) in co-cultures cultivated in fibrin-collagen-I gels and stimulated with HGF and IGF-1 for 2 d. Expressions are demonstrated in x-fold difference compared with unstimulated cells cultivated in control (=1). Upregulation of all myogenic markers under HGF + IGF-1 stimulation compared with unstimulated controls, MyHC2 significantly. (** = p ≤ 0.01). (* = p ≤ 0.05). (# = p ≤ 0.05 compared with unstimulated controls). Mb of three different isolations as well as three replicates of each were used