Figure 1.

Effect of SVT on the differentiation of chondrocytes (a, b). Cells were added with SVT for 24 h and analyzed for protein and mRNA expression by western blotting and RT-PCR (a). Sulfated proteoglycans was determined by Alcian blue staining (*p < 0.05 compared to control) (b). (c) Chondrocytes were treated with 50 μM SVT for 24 h and analyzed by Alcian blue staining and immunocytochemistry. SVT: simvastatin; GAPDH: Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; CON: control. (A color version of this figure is available in the online journal.)