Figure 1

Schematic illustration of experimental setup. Articular chondrocytes from three patients with osteoarthritis and from three patients undergoing autologous chondrocyte transplantation (ACT) were isolated applying protocols used for ACT. After expansion in monolayer the chondrogenic differentiation potential was evaluated in high-density pellet and scaffold (Hyaff-11) cultures by histological assessment (Bern Score, immunohistochemistry for collagen types I and II). Chondrocytes cultured in monolayer and scaffolds were subjected to comparative gene expression analysis (genome-wide oligonucleotide microarrays, real-time PCR).