Hypoxia Helps Maintain Nucleus Pulposus Homeostasis by Balancing Autophagy and Apoptosis

Figure 2

Chondrogenesis-related gene expression analysis in NP cells under different oxygen concentrations. RT-PCR was used to analyze mRNA expression levels in normoxic (C-NP) and hypoxic (H-NP) cells at p5, p15, and p20 ( per group). Primers targeted transcription factors (SRY-box transcription factor 9), ECM proteins (aggrecan and type I, II, III, and VI collagens), and metalloproteinase-related genes (MMP-3, MMP-13, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2). Results are the of triplicate experiments. , , and versus p5; ^#, ^##, and ^### versus p15; ^†, ^††, and ^††† versus C-NP cells at the same passage number.