Fig. 3

Chondrogenic potentials of SF subsets. A, B Size and histology of the chondrocyte pellets. Individual subsets were incubated in the chondrocyte differentiation medium for 3 weeks. Representative macro picture of chondrocyte pellet (A, upper). The chondrocyte matrix was stained as red by safranin O staining and measured the ratio of the stained area (A, lower B). Cells per donor were cultured in 3 pellets and the results of 18 donors (C). C qPCR of the chondrogenic differentiation marker. The relative expression levels of ACAN in differentiated cells. Cells per donor were cultured in 3 pellets and the results of 12 donors. The target genes were normalized with 18S of undifferentiated SF as a control. OA and RA samples are plotted as white circles and white squares, respectively. The average data of each subset are plotted as black squares. Data were analyzed by Dunn’s multiple comparison test for comparing each subset from the same samples (*p < 0.05)