b. Custom Designed Primer/Probe (Microsynth, Balgach, Switzerland).

Gene	Primer/Probe Type	Sequence
MMP-13	Primer forward (5′-3′) Primer reverse (5′-3′) Probe (5′ FAM/3′ TAMRA)	CGGCCACTCCTTAGGTCTTG TTTTGCCGGTGTAGGTGTAGATAG CTCCAAGGACCCTGGAGCACTCATGT
COX-2	Primer forward (5′-3′) Primer reverse (5′-3′) Probe (5′ FAM/3′ TAMRA)	TTGTACCCGGACAGGATTCTATG TGTTTGGAGTGGGTTTCAGAAATA GAAAACTGCTCAACACCGGAATTTTTGACAA
Col2a1	Primer forward (5′-3′) Primer reverse (5′-3′) Probe (5′ FAM/3′ TAMRA)	GGCAATAGCAGGTTCACGTACA GATAACAGTCTTGCCCCACTTACC CCTGAAGGATGGCTGCACGAAACATAC
ACAN	Primer forward (5′-3′) Primer reverse (5′-3′) Probe (5′ FAM/3′ TAMRA)	AGTCCTCAAGCCTCCTGTACTCA CGGGAAGTGGCGGTAACA CCGGAATGGAAACGTGAATCAGAATCAACT

COL2A1: collagen type II; MMP13: matrix metalloproteinase 13; COX-2: cyclooxygenase-2; ACAN: aggrecan; FAM: Carboxyfluorescein; TAMRA: Tetramethylrhodamine.