Fig. 4
From: A novel 3D bilayer hydrogel tri-culture system for studying functional motor units
Characterizations of the functional NMJ a The immunostaining characterizing the differentiated neuromuscular junction by motor neuron axon terminal (Tuj1, red; white and blue arrows) surrounded with the acetylcholine receptor cluster (αBTX, green signals). b The left live-cell image showed the localization of the motor neuron (mApple; white arrow) and its axon terminal (blue arrow) (Scale bar is 200 µm). The right live-cell image from Additional file 3: video S2 showed the MN-driving contraction at the axon terminal (blue arrow) and spontaneous contraction happened without motor neuron. c The quantified data showed the amplitude and frequency of the myotube contraction in Additional file 3: video S2. d The maximum of myotube contraction displacement was determined in motor neuron (MN)-driving contraction group and spontaneous contraction group (n = 5/group). Results are presented as means ± SD, **p ≤ 0.01, compared with the MN-driving contraction group.