H&E staining of NBC-MSC-collagen microspheres at different collagen concentrations.

<p>(A): 1mg/ml; (B): 2mg/ml; 1: 7 days; 2: 14 days (scale bars: 100 μm).</p

Immunohistochemistry of type I collagen of NBC-MSC-collagen microspheres with different NBC proportions and at different time points.

<p>(A): 0% NBC (100% MSC); (B): 20% NBC (80% MSC); (C): 50% NBC (50% MSC); (D): 80% NBC (30% MSC); (E): 100% NBC (0% MSC). A1, B1, C1, D1, E1: day 7; A2, B2, C3, D2, E2: day 14; B3, C3, D3, D3a, E3: day 21 after culture (Scale bars: 100 μm).</p

H&E staining showing the NBC-MSC-collagen microspheres at different encapsulation cell density.

<p>(A1-A3): 1250 cells/microsphere; (B1-B3): 2500 cells/microsphere; (C1-C3): 5000 cells/microsphere; 1: 7 days; 2: 14 days; 3: 21 days (scale bars: 100 μm).</p

Gross appearance and dimension of neuroblastoma cell-mesenchymal stromal cell (NBC-MSC) co-encapsulated collagen microspheres.

<p>Microspheres with different percentage of NBCs and hence NBC:MSC ratios: (A): 0% NBC (100% MSC); (B): 20% NBC (80%MSC); (C): 50% NBC (50% MSC); (D): 80% NBC (20% MSC) and (E): 100% NBC (0% MSC) were cultured for different period of time: 0 (A1,B1,C1,D1,E1); 1 (A2,B2,C2,D2,E2); 3 (A3,B3,C3,D3,E3), 7 (A4,B4,C4,D4,E4), 14 (A5,B5,C5,D5,E5) and 21 (A6,B6,C6,D6,E6) days (scale bars: 100 μm: A2,A3,A4,A5,A6,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,C2,C3,C4,C5,D2,D3,D4; 500 μm: A1,D5,E3,E4,E6; 1000 μm: B1,C1,C6,D1,D6,E1,E2,E5); (F): Line chart showing the temporal change in the dimension (mean±1SD) of the NBC-MSC-collagen microsphere populations during cultures.</p

Immunohistochemistry of MMP9.

<p>(A): 5000 cells/ml; (B): 2500 cells/ml; (C): 1250 cells/ml; 1: 0.5 mg/ml; 2: 1 mg/ml; 3: 2mg/ml (scale bars: 100 μm).</p