Research Article

Comparison of Regenerative Tissue Quality following Matrix-Associated Cell Implantation Using Amplified Chondrocytes Compared to Synovium-Derived Stem Cells in a Rabbit Model for Cartilage Lesions

Figure 2

Rabbit SMSC have the ability to undergo chondrogenic differentiation in vitro in a pellet culture. Staining with Alcian blue (upper row) and Safranin-O (lower row) indicates a successful production of glycosaminoglycans after 21 days. Chondrogenic differentiation capacity declined remarkably with a further passage. Specimens were embedded in gelatin before staining. Quantitative PCR revealed mRNA formation of typical cartilage markers such as collagen type II (g), Aggrecan (h), and Sox9 (i) in both passage 3 and 4 (, ).
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