Figure 4.

Histology sections of micro mass cultures of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and moderate or severely affected chondrocytes. Micro mass cultures of MSCs (hBM-MSC) or chondrocytes (hAC) derived from moderate or severely affected osteoarthritis tissue from a representative subject were analyzed by histology (hematoxylin and eosin [H&E] stain; bars = 100 µm) with (F2v1) or without (no ligand) the presence of FGF2v1 in the culture medium used to expand the cells. The presence of proteoglycans and sulfated glycosaminoglycans was examined by Alcian blue (AB) and safranin O (SO) stains (bars = 100 µm).