Table I.

Primer sequences for reverse transcription-quantitative PCR.

Gene	Primer sequence (5′→3′)	Length of product (bp)
Col2a1	F: CAACACTGCCAACGTCCAGAT	121
	R: TCTTGCAGTGGGCTGCCTTAT
Sox9	F: GCGGAGGAAGTCCGTGAAGA	82
	R: GAAGATGGCGTTGGGGGAGA
Acan	F: GTGCCTATCAGGACAAGGTCT	167
	R: GATGCCTTTCACGACGACTTC
CD44	F: CTGCCGCTTTGCAGGTGTA	109
	R: CATTGTGGGCAAGGTGCTATT
ERK1	F: CTACACGCAGTTGCAGTACAT	157
	R: CAGCAGGATCTGGATCTCCC
ERK2	F: TCTGGAGCAGTATTACGACCC	134
	R: CTGGCTGGAATCTAGCAGTCT

F, forward; R, reverse; Col2a1, collagen type II α 1 chain; Sox9, SRY-box transcription factor 9; Acan, aggrecan.