Fig. 3. Endocardial identity of differentiated TC13 cells. (A) Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis was carried out on total RNA isolated from undifferentiated (–RA) and differentiated (+RA) cells following 4 days of RA treatment, as well as from hearts (He) of neonatal Sprague Dawley rats. Tubulin transcript amplification was used as control. The oligonucleotides and conditions used are listed in Table 1. The results shown are from one representative experiment. (B) Immunocytochemical detection of the Cx37 and Cx40 gap-junction proteins. Note the specific green fluorescent labeling of the cell membrane with the anti-Cx37 antibody but not with the anti-Cx40 antibody. RNA analysis also confirmed the presence of Cx37 but not Cx40 transcripts in these cells (not shown). Nuclei are stained with the Hoechst dye.

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