Following osteogenic treatment, knockdown of Ndrg1 stimulated osteogenic differentiation, as indicated by the enhanced ALP staining and alizarin red staining (Fig. 2F), and the increased mRNA and protein levels of the osteogenic factors as compared to the infection of the control virus (mRNAs increased by 61–83% and proteins increased by 49–65%) (Fig. 2G, H). The gene discussed is NDRG1; the disease is infection.