Consistent with this idea, both types of molecules are implicated in Wnt signaling

progenitor cells. Expression of TD protein in transfected hNPs by their red fluorescence. TD protein can also be detected by using immunohistochemistry. Expression of IGF-TD fusion protein in hNPs by their red fluorescence. Detection the IGF-1 moiety of the IGF-TD fusion protein in transfected cells by immunostaining. Expression of IGF-1 component of the IGF-TD mRNA in Piclidenoson web hNPIGF-TD cells by qRT-PCR; IGF-1 mRNA is undetectable in untransfected hNP and hNPTD cells. Western blot analysis of IGF-1 component of the IGF-TD protein in hNPIGF-TD cell lysates confirms the expected molecular weight of approximately 60 kD. IGF-1 was not detected in untransfected hNP and hNPTD cells. IGF-1 levels are higher in the medium of cells transfected with the IGF-TD fusion protein. Data are presented as mean SE for the day 0 wells. Symbols PubMed ID:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19783706 correspond to the fitted means the 95% confidence limits of the measurements conducted in conditioned medium from the difference hNPs. Analysis was conducted by fitting a two way linear model for treatments and time points on the inverse of the data. Multiple comparisons were conducted on the transformed scale by the Tukey test. Asterisks indicate statistically significant differences versus all groups at the same time point. Abbreviations: hNP, neuronal progenitor cells; TD, tdTomato; IGF-TD, IGF-1-tdTomato. Scale bar in A–D: 50 m. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125695.g001 was also used to evaluate the concentration of IGF-TD in the conditioned media collected from cultured hNPIGF-TD and hNPTD cells at 1 and 3 days post-transfection. The concentration of IGF-TD protein gradually increased to about 0.5 ng/ml on day 3. In contrast, there were very low levels of IGF-1 in hNPTD or hNPs. hNPIGF-TD Cell Cocultures Enhance Survival and Neurite Outgrowth of primary RGCs A co-culture system was used to evaluate the effects of secreted IGF-TD on survival and neurite outgrowth of RGCs. In presence of hNPIGF-TD cells, survival of RGCs was significantly higher than RGCs co-cultured with hNPsTD and untransfected hNPs. RGCs co-cultured with hNP or hNPTD exhibited similar survival rates. When co-cultured with hNPIGF-TD cells, RGCs extended long neurites with an average length of 93 7 m, while RGCs co-cultured with hNPTD or hNP cells, developed average neurite lengths of 17 2 m and 17 3 m, respectively. Moreover, RGCs 9 / 24 Progenitor Cells Expressing IGF-1 on Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival Fig 2. The survival rate and neurite outgrowth of primary RGCs co-cultured with transfected hNPs under various conditions. Dead/live cell analysis of primary RGCs co-cultured with hNPTD and hNPIGF-TD cells shows increased live cells in the latter group. -III tubulin staining of co-cultured cells indicates that neurites were rarely observed in RGCs co-cultured with hNPTD cells as compared with RGCs co-cultured with hNPIGF-TD cells . Quantification of survival rate and neurite length in RGCs co-cultured with hNPIGF-TD or hNPTD cells in presence and absence of IGF antagonists Data was analyzed with Mann-Whitney U test. RGC survival rate 10 / 24 Progenitor Cells Expressing IGF-1 on Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival was significantly higher in hNPIGF-TD co-cultures; IGF antagonists reduced both survival rate and neurite outgrowth of RGCs. The boxes in and represent the 0.25, median and 0.75 quantiles. On either side of the box, the whiskers extend to the minimum and maximum. PubMed ID:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19786154 Detailed index of each transfection is presented in the text. The red dash line in each bo