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Figure 3 (A) Detection of secreted cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) in culture media by Western blot analysis. Human CT-1 was detected as a 26-kDa band. Only nonspecific staining was seen in 10% FBS-DMEM and the conditioned media from parental myoblasts. In the media from CT-1-transferred myoblasts, CT-1 was detected in addition to nonspecific staining. Twice, infections of retrovirus augmented the CT-1 expression. (B) Transplanted area stained for CT-1 in the myoblast (MB) group (left) and the MB + CT group (right) at the age of 17 weeks (six weeks after transplantation). Grafted cells in the MB + CT group showed positive staining for CT-1 (arrows). Original magnification, x400. (C) Western blot analysis for CT-1 in the left ventricular free wall. Each protein level of CT-1 was normalized to a mean value of sham group (n = 5 for each). *p < 0.05 vs. sham group. Values are means ± SEM.