Fig. 1.

Experimental schedules. Contracted collagen gels containing synoviocytes were pre-cultured for 72 h then placed in the FX-4000C™ Flexercell^® Compression Plus™ System. Gels then underwent cyclical compression ranging from 0 to 40 kPa at a frequency of 1.0 Hz for 1.5, 3, 6 and 12 h. The black columns represent period of compressive load. Arrows indicate when RNA in the collagen gels was extracted, immediately after compression, for analysis of mRNA expression levels of HAS genes by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. The culture medium was collected 48 h after the start of compression and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and cellulose acetate electrophoresis. The arrowhead indicates a contracted collagen gel in the image. Bar 10 mm