Figure 2

Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of gene-expression changes in response to growth factor stimulation. (A) BM-MSCs, and (B) AD-MSCs were cultured for 14 days in type I collagen hydrogels and stimulated with optimal concentrations of TGF-β, GDF5, or GDF6. Relative gene expression was normalized to mean housekeeping-gene expression and cells without growth factor stimulation and plotted on a log scale. (C) Aggrecan-to-type II collagen gene expression ratio in BM and AD-MSCs after culture in type I collagen hydrogels for 14 days with either no growth factor, or optimal concentrations of TGF-β, GDF5, or GDF6. Relative gene expression was normalized to mean housekeeping-gene expression and plotted on a log scale. N = 7; all data represent mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05.