Cytokine profiles in the joint depend on pathology, but are different between synovial fluid, cartilage tissue and cultured chondrocytes

Table 1 Donor characteristics

Donor type	Synovial fluid	Tissue	Nonexpanded chondrocytes	Expanded chondrocytes
Healthy	n = 20	n = 9^a	n = 8^a	n = 15
Age, average (range)	40 (25 to 47)	69 (54 to 81)	66 (54 to 75)	67 (54 to 81)
% male	Unknown	80	50	60
Cartilage defect	n = 31	n = 16	n = 10	n = 13
Age, average (range)	33 (20 to 48)	33 (16 to 45)	32 (18 to 44)	24 (19 to 36)
% male	Unknown	47	70	85
Osteoarthritis	n = 27	n = 27	n = 12	n = 13
Age, average (range)	70 (53 to 81)	67 (46 to 90)	69 (49 to 83)	70 (46 to 83)
% male	Unknown	23	38	38

^aOf four healthy donors, both tissue and nonexpanded chondrocytes were analysed; for all the other donors, either synovial fluid, tissue, nonexpanded or expanded cells were analysed.

ISSN: 1478-6362