Figure 7.

Effects of long term usage of Dex on chondrocyte apoptosis in mice at 8 weeks after DMM. (A) TUNEL assay was performed on knee joints to measure chondrocyte apoptosis at 8 weeks either sham operation or after DMM surgery with or without long term usage of Dex. (B-J) The total number of cells (B, E, H), the number of apoptotic cells (C, F, I) and the proportion of apoptotic cells (D, G, J) in non-calcified cartilage layer (B-D), calcified cartilage layer (E-G) and subchondral bone plate (H-J) were calculated (n = 4). Scale bar: 500 µm. Comparisons of multiple groups were evaluated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's test. Data were expressed as the mean ± SEM. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ****, P < 0.0001.