Figure 5

Differentiation of SVZ-derived progenitors on PLL- and nECM-coated coverslips. SVZ-derived neurospheres (at 7 days of proliferation) were seeded on either PLL- or nECM-coated coverslips. (A-B) Images taken by phase contrast microscopy at 24 (A) and 72 h (B) post-differentiation on nECM. Arrowheads in panel B point to the arising neuritic network. Scale bars, 50 μm. (C-D) Analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) 20 days post-differentiation on nECM. Panel D arrows show matrix-embedded neurites. Scale bars, 50 and 10 μm, respectively. (E) Focusing on neurosphere differentiation after 10 or 35 days, cell degeneration (arrowheads) was observed only in the case of PLL substrates at 35 days in culture. (F) Representation of the appearance/disappearance of marker expression throughout differentiation culture. (G-J) Representative images of neurodevelopmental marker expression in SVZ-derived progenitors on nECM-coated coverslips. SVZ neurospheres differentiated on nECM in the presence of the factors shown in Figure 5 were analyzed by immunofluorescence with the following markers: (G) Sox2 (red), Nestin (green), Hoechst (blue); (H) Nestin (red), Hoechst (blue); (I) NeuN (green); (J) MAP2 (red), Hoechst (blue). All images are representative of three independent experiments.