Fig. 6
NGF signaling is partially involved in matrix remodeling in chondrogenic CSPCs. High-density pellets were formed using 2 × 105 CSPCs, cultured in chondrogenesis medium (CM) for the first week, and then treated with 10 ng/ml NGF, NGF and NGF neutralizing antibody (NGF + ab), 10 ng/ml NGF neutralizing antibody (ab), or 10 ng/ml NGF neutralizing antibody matched IgG1 (isotype). Pooled CSPCs were used for the pellet study, derived from 14 patients and randomly distributed in five independent trials. Representative data presented are from five technical replicates for each group. a Safranin O staining of CSPC pellets at day 14. Bar = 100 μm. b sGAG quantification in pellets, normalized to double-stranded DNA. *p <0.05, versus CM group, values are mean ± SD. c Gene expression of COL1A1, COL2A1, AGN, and SOX9 in CSPC pellets analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR, with RPL13a as housekeeping gene. Values are mean ± SD. NGF nerve growth factor, sGAG sulfated glycosaminoglycan