Figure 3.

A) Experimental path: hACs embedded in fibrin gel were cultured in the uBeat® MultiCompress Platform for 14 days to achieve mature cartilage constructs. A HPC was then applied for 7 days to induce OA traits. Culture medium was then removed from the central channel of the culture chamber, followed by the injection of Supartz®, that was co‐cultured with OA cartilage micro‐tissues for 3 days under mechanical stimulation. B) Generation of cartilage model. Gene expression analysis of ACAN and PRG4 at day 0 (n=3) and day 14 (n=6, *p<0.05), and immunofluorescence staining of nuclei (blue) and aggrecan (in red) at day 0 and day 14. Scale bar =100µm, scale bar magnfied pictures = 20 µm. C) Induction of OA phenotype. Gene expression analysis performed on cartilage constructs at day 21, cultured either in static condition (healthy) or under HPC (OA). **p<0.01, *p<0.05. Fluorescence stainings of nuclei (in light blue), aggrecan (in red), and MMP13 (in green) in healthy and OA samples. Scale bar = 100µm, scale bar magnfied pictures = 20 µm. D) Activation of mechanoreceptors. Gene expression analysis performed on cartilage constructs at day 21, cultured either in static condition (healthy) or under HPC (OA). **p<0.01, *p<0.05. E) Qualification with Supartz®. Gene expression analysis performed on cartilage constructs at day 23, comparing mechanically stimulated devices without Supartz® (OA) and mechanically stimulated devices with Supartz® (SUP). n=4 for each condition.