Table 1. PCR primers used to assess mRNA expression.

Target gene	Primers	Amplified length (bp)
Wnt3a	Forward: 5'-CCATCCTCTGCCTCAAATTC-3' Reverse: 5'-TGGACAGTGGATATAGCAGCA-3'	74
Wnt1	Forward: 5'-CACGACCTCGTCTACTTCGAC-3' Reverse: 5'-ACAGACACTCGTGCAGTACGC-3'	269
Wnt5a	Forward: 5'-ACACCTCTTTCCAAACAGGCC-3' Reverse: 5'-GGATTGTTAAACTCAACTCTC-3'	370
Collagen II	Forward: 5'-GCCTGGTGTCATGGGTTT-3' Reverse: 5'-GTCCCTTCTCACCAGCTTTG-3'	71
Aggrecan	Forward: 5'-AGGCTATGAGCAGTGTGAACG-3' Reverse: 5'-GCACGCCATAGGTCCTGA-3'	128
Sox9	Forward: 5'-TCCTCAGGCTTTGCGATTT-3' Reverse: 5'-TCCCAGCAGCACCGTTTT-3'	170
p53	Forward: 5’-CCCAAGCAATGGATGATTTGA-3’ Reverse: 5’-GGCATTCTGGGAGCTTCATCT-3’	91
β-actin	Forward: 5’-AGGGGCCGGACTCGTCATACT-3’ Reverse: 5’-GGCGGCACCACCATGTACCCT-3’	202