Fig. 3

FGFR-agonist regulates cellular behaviors of NPCs. (A) The proliferation of NPCs was evaluated at 24-hour and 72-hour time points following treatments with bFGF or FGFR-agonist, using a CCK8 kit. (B) Serum-starved NPCs were placed in the upper chamber, while bFGF(20 ng/mL) and FGFR-agonist (40 nM) were included in the lower chamber for 24 h and stained, followed visualization under light microscopy. Scale bar = 100 μm. (C) The data from the Transwell assay are quantified to assess the impact of different treatments on NPC migration. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 6). (D) Representative images showing the undifferentiated NPCs (Nestin-positive) and differentiated neurons (Tuj-1 positive) NPCs treated with bFGF, FGFR-agonist and Ctrl-oligo for 7 days and subjected to immunofluorescence staining. Scale bar = 100 μm. (E) The ratios of Nestin-positive cells and Tuj-1-positive cells are quantified against total cells (DAPI-positive). Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 3), with **p < 0.001, as determined by unpaired t-tests. (F) Representative images of neurospheres generated by NPCs cultured in suspension for 10 days in the presence or absence of bFGF (20 ng/mL), FGFR-agonist (40 nM), or FGFR-agonist (200 nM). The scale bar = 100 μm. (G) Quantification of the changes in neurosphere volume over a 10-day culture period under various treatment conditions. Data are displayed as mean ± SD (n = 3), with **p < 0.0001, as determined by one-way ANOVA