Fig. 1

Cartilage 3-MST expression is negatively correlated with OA severity and chondrocyte calcification and downmodulated by HA crystals. a 3-MST immunohistochemical staining in cartilage explants from end-stage osteoarthritis patients and consecutive sections stained with von Kossa/Safranin-O staining for calcium-containing crystals. For each staining, one representative picture from one out of 14 patients is shown. Scale bars 200 μm. The graph shows the correlation between the % of 3-MST-positive cells and the % of calcified cartilage in the different patients. n = 14 patients. b Immunohistochemical staining of 3-MST in cartilage from individuals with low, medium, and high stage osteoarthritis and von Kossa/Safranin-O staining for calcium-containing crystals in consecutive sections. Pictures from one representative patient out of 5 patients per group are shown. Scale bars 200 μm. The graphs show the % of 3-MST-positive cells and the % of calcified cartilage. Three fields were counted per patient and the mean plotted in the graph. n = 14 patients. c 3-MST immunohistochemistry of human cartilage explants stimulated 24 h with HA crystals (HA 500 μg/ml) or not (Nt). Scale bars 200 μm. The graph shows the % of 3-MST-positive cells in Nt vs HA-treated explants in each patient. Lines connect the Nt condition and the HA condition for each patient. n = 4 patients