FIGURE 5.

Effect of LPS and FnIII‐1c activation on the expression of genes involved in chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs. MSCs were cultured in 15 mL polypropylene tube under chondrogenic medium with and without 1 µg/mL LPS or FnIII‐1c for 7, 14 and 21 d for all the experiments mentioned below. The mRNA levels of (A) SOX9, (B) type II collagen (COL2A1), and (C) Aggrecan (ACAN) was evaluated by real‐time PCR. Characterization of hMSCs was conducted using (D) toluidine blue, and (E) safranin‐O staining (scale bar = 100 and 200 mm respectively from the right in each column). Data are presented as mean ± SEM of ratios relative to β‐actin levels (n = 3). *P < .05, **P < .01, ***P < .001, ****P < .0001