Figure 2: Cultured undifferentiated DPSC expressed high level of Fgf-7 and Fgf-10, neural crest-derived mesenchymal genes involving salivary gland formation. (A) A diagram illustrates the in vivo cell transplantation model. HSG alone or the combination between HSG and DPSC (1 million per cell type) were prepared as cell suspension in hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel scaffold and subcutaneously injected ventrally to the submandibular salivary gland (SMG) without penetrating in the gland in 2-month-old Rag1-/- null mice (n = 3 mice/group) to avoid immune rejection against the human cells (HSG). (B) Q-RT-PCR showed RQ (Relative Quantification) values demonstrating differential gene expression of Eda, Fgf-7, Fgf-10, Vegfr-3, Vegf-C, and Vegf-A in undifferentiated DPSC and mouse salivary gland. DPSC cultured in stem cell media under 5% O2 incubation, as previously described in Materials and Methods, expressed high level of Fgf-7, Fgf-10, and Vegfr-3, as well as the same level of Vegf-C, compared to mouse salivary gland (approximately >10 folds greater than endogenous Fgf-7 and Fgf-10 , and >5 folds greater than endogenous Vegfr-3 expression in mouse submandibular salivary gland. RQ values (n = 3) were normalized by the expression of mouse salivary gland. Gapdh was used for the internal control. Student’s t-test calculated * p ≤ 0.05. Error bars represent ± SEM.