Figure 4

Effect of vanadate on VSa13 cell proliferation (A) and ECM mineralization (B). For proliferation experiments VSa13 cells were seeded in 96-well plates at 1.5 × 10³ cells/well then either left untreated or treated with 2.5, 5 and 7.5 μM of vanadate. Cell proliferation was evaluated after 8 days using MTS assay. For ECM mineralization experiments VSa13 cells were seeded in 24-well plates at 2 × 10⁴ cells/well, grown until confluence then treated for mineralization. Mineralizing cultures were then either left untreated or treated with 5 μM vanadate. Mineral deposition was revealed after 4 weeks by von Kossa staining and evaluated by densitometry analysis. Asterisk indicates values statistically different from corresponding controls (n ≥ 3; P < 0.05; one-way ANOVA).