Figures & data
Figure 1 Effects of LIUS on the chondrogenic differentiation of human MSCs in alginate layer culture. The expression of chondrogenic markers such as Sox-9, aggrecan and type II collagen was measured at one and two weeks by RT-PCR analysis. Relative band intensities normalized against those of GAPDH were presented from five independent experiments. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 and ***p < 0.001.
Figure 2 Effect of LIUS preconditioning on the chondrogenic differentiation and hypertrophic changes of rabbit MSCs in PGA scaffold in nude mice. (A) Safranin O/Fast green staining for the expression of proteoglycans in the implanted constructs at 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks (x10). (B) von Kossa staining for the calcification of the implanted constructs (x10).
Figure 3 Effects of LIUS on the apoptosis of human MSCs during chondrogenic differentiation in alginate layer culture. (A) Thin sections of the constructs were stained with FragEL DNA Fragmentation Detection Kit (Calbiochem, Germany) at one and two weeks. The number of apoptotic cells was determined from five independent experiments in the histogram. The data were presented as a mean ± standard deviation (SD). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ***p < 0.001 (B) The expression of apoptosis and cell viability related genes (p53, bax, bcl-2 and PCNA) was examined by Western blot analysis. The level of action was measured as an internal control.
