Fig. 2

Culture media modifies expression of typical pericyte markers. Human brain pericytes were plated at a low density and allowed to proliferate in either DMEM/F12 with 10% FBS or Pericyte Medium for 7 days. At completion, pericytes were fixed and immunostained for the pericyte-associated markers CD146, αSMA, P4H, desmin, fibronectin, NG2, PDGFRβ and COL-IV. Nuclei were counterstained with Hoechst (a). The integrated intensity/cell of pericyte marker expression was determined by automated image analysis (b). RNA was extracted from samples treated as above and qRT-PCR performed to determine pericyte marker gene expression (c). Data are displayed as mean ± SEM of three independent experiments. **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001 versus DMEM/F12 cultured pericytes (Student’s t test). Scale bar = 50 µm