Figure 4.

Graves' orbitopathy fibroblasts express markers of osteogenesis and chondrogenesis. Graves' orbitopathy fibroblasts (lines HO1-3) were induced toward osteogenic (A, B), and chondrogenic (C, D) differentiation (“differentiated,” black bars) or kept in control medium under the same conditions (“undifferentiated,” gray bars); additionally, cells grown under standard cell culture conditions were tested (A–C, “standard,” white bars). Expression levels of markers of osteogenesis (BGLAP and SPARC) and chondrogenesis (ACAN, SOX9) were assessed by semi-quantitative analysis of agarose gel electrophoresis of RT-PCR products. Shown is the mean ± SEM, with n = 2 for each marker in each cell line.