Research Paper Volume 15, Issue 3 pp 830—845

Figure 2. The context-dependent influences of TGF-β1 on VC, based on different test strategies, during the early and mid- term phases of calcification. OM and TGF-β1 synergistically increased calcification upon co-treatment. During early (day 3) calcification, ASMCs exposed to TGF-β1 alone, OM alone, or in combination, were stained using AR, with gross (A) and microscopic (B) images shown. Calcium quantitation results of ASMCs without or with TGF-β1 alone, OM alone, or in combination during early calcification are shown in panel (C). During mid-term (day 5) calcification, ASMCs exposed to the same condition were stained with AR (gross, D; microscopic, E) images shown. Calcium quantitation results during mid-term calcification are shown in panel (F). AR, Alizarin red; ASMC, aortic smooth muscle cell; ctrl, control; OM, osteogenic media; TGF-β1, transforming growth factor-β1; VC, vascular calcification.