Table 1.

Gene-Specific Primer Sequences and PCR Conditions

Gene	Primer sequences	Product size (bp)	PCR conditions
Type II collagen	Fwd: 5′-CCACTGCAAGAACAGCATTG-3′ Rev: 5′-CCAGTTCAGGTCTCTTAGAG-3′	463	95°C 60 s, 60°C 60 s, 72°C 60 s, 27 cycles
Type I collagen	Fwd: 5′-TGCTGGCCAACTATGCCTCT-3′ Rev: 5′-TTGCACAATGCTCTGATC-3′	496	95°C 60 s, 60°C 60 s, 72°C 60 s, 32 cycles
Aggrecan	Fwd: 5′-CACTGTTACCGCCACTTCCC-3′ Rev: 5′GACATCGTTCCACTCGCCCT-3′	303	95°C 60 s, 60°C 60 s, 72°C 60 s, 32 cycles
18S rRNA	Fwd: 5′-AAACGGCTACCACATCCAAG-3′ Rev: 5′-CCTCCAATGGATCCTCGTTA-3′	150	95°C 60 s, 55°C 60 s, 72°C 60 s, 27 cycles