Figure 3.

Effect of PRP pre-treatment on passage 5 pellet culture system. Pellets of cells which were pre-treated in 2D from passage 2 to passage 4 in the presence of 10% FBS, 2.5% PRPr, and 10% PRPr, or until passage 3 in 10% FBS and only in passage 4 in the presence of 2.5% PRPr and 10% PRPr, for 21 or 35 days. Pellets were cultured in serum-free medium with (w/) or without (w/o) TGF-β. Sulfated GAGs evidenced by alcian blue pH 1.0 staining (blue) and cells nuclei by neutral red (red). Inner fibrous layers of 10% FBS pre-treated pellets are highlighted in ellipses. Scale bars: 100 µm.

PRP: platelet-rich plasma; FBS: fetal bovine serum; PRPr: platelet-rich plasma releasate; GAGs: glycosaminoglycans.