The results, expressed as the means with standard deviations, for the expression levels of PPAR-γ and C/EBPα in MSCs from control (n = 6) and malnourished (n = 6) animals as determined by Western blot analysis.

<p>The Western blot image was representative of six independent experiments with similar results. After densitometric analysis, results for PPAR-γ and C/EBPα protein expression were normalized to β-actin values. The number in brackets denotes the number of animals used in the experiment. *(p ≤ 0.05) indicates where there was a significant difference between the control group and the malnourished group.</p

Bone marrow and spleen cell count of control and malnourished animals.

<p>The results are expressed as the means with standard deviation for the total and differential cell counts of bone marrow and spleen cells of the control and malnourished animals. The number in parentheses denotes the total number of animals used in the experiment.</p>*<p>(p ≤ 0.05), **(p ≤ 0.01) and ***(p ≤ 0.001) indicates where there was a significant difference between the control group and the malnourished group.</p

Flow cytometry analyses of the bone marrow of control and malnourished mice.

<p>The selection of gates, R1, for the cell populations that were not labeled with fluorochromes are indicated (SSC in the y-axis vs. FSC in the x-axis). Immunophenotypical bone marrow analysis was carried out in gate R1 for CD117 and CD45 expression. The graphical results are expressed as the means with standard deviations for CD117⁺ and CD45⁺ expression by control (n = 6) and malnourished (n = 6) mice. The number in brackets denotes the number of animals used in the experiment. *(p ≤ 0.05) and ***(p ≤ 0.001) indicate where there was a significant difference between the control group and the malnourished group.</p

The results are expressed as the means with standard deviations and the area-under-the-curve of the production kinetics of SCF, IL-3, G-CSF and GM-CSF in MSC from control (n = 6) and malnourished (n = 6) animals cultured for 14 days.

<p>The number between the brackets denotes the number of samples evaluated per group in each timepoint studied. *(p ≤ 0.05) indicates where there was a significant difference between the control group and the malnourished group.</p

The results, expressed as the means with standard deviations, for the relative gene expression of PPAR-γ and SREBP in MSCs from control (n = 6) and malnourished animals (n = 6).

<p>Data were normalized to 18S. The number in brackets denotes the number of animals used in the experiment. *(p ≤ 0.05) indicates where there was a significant difference between the control group and the malnourished group.</p

Sections of bone and marrow from control and malnourished animals.

<p>(A) Bone marrow biopsy section from a control animal showing normal cellularity with heterogeneous populations of cells at different stages of maturation. Embedded in paraffin (HE stain, ×4). (<b>B</b>) Bone marrow biopsy section from a malnourished animal showing severe hypocellularity. Embedded in paraffin (HE stain, ×4). (<b>C</b>) Bone marrow biopsy section from a control animal showing normal cellularity. Embedded in paraffin (HE stain, ×1000). (<b>D</b>) Bone marrow biopsy section from a malnourished animal showing hypocellularity and adipocytes increase. Embedded in paraffin (HE stain, ×1000). Sections are representative of control (n = 6) or malnourished group (n = 6).</p

Protein intake, body weight variation, blood cell count, and concentrations of plasma protein, albumin, and pre-albumin of control and malnourished mice.

<p>The results, expressed as the means with standard deviations, are presented for protein consumption, change in body weight, serum protein, albumin, and pre-albumin concentrations, number of erythrocytes, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, number of reticulocytes, and total number of leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes of control and malnourished animals. The number in parentheses denotes the total number of animals used in the experiment.</p>*<p>(p ≤ 0.05) and ***(p ≤ 0.001) indicates where there was a significant difference between the control group and the malnourished group.</p

MSCs cultures from control and malnourished animals induced to adipogenic differentiation.

<p>(A) Cell culture morphology of differentiated MSCs from control animals cultured in adipogenic media (x 100); (B) Oil red O positive cells on day 14 after adipogenic differentiation of control MSCs. The red parts are lipid-rich vacuoles, the blue ones are nuclei counterstained with the standard May-Grunwald Giemsa solutions (x 100); (C) Cell culture morphology of differentiated MSCs from malnourished animals cultured in adipogenic medium (x 100); (B) Oil red O positive cells on day 14 after adipogenic differentiation of malnourished MSCs. The red parts are lipid-rich vacuoles, the blue ones are nuclei counterstained with the standard May-Grunwald Giemsa solutions (x 100). Representative pictures from control (n = 6) and malnourished groups (n = 6). The results showing the graphic percentage of quantified adipocytes and the graphic Oil red quantification from control (n = 6) and malnourished (n = 6) animals are expressed as as the means with standard deviations. The number in brackets denotes the number of animals used in the experiment. *(p ≤ 0.05) indicates where there was a significant difference between the control group and the malnourished group.</p