Figure 4: Growth factors are conserved in an acellular extracellular matrix and create a chemotactic gradient which promotes chondrocyte migration into tissue particles.
(A, B) Using an established transwell migration assay with four different chemotactic gradients, typically non-migratory chondrocytes demonstrate a significantly greater attraction to the acellular ECM particles than to typical chondrocyte DMEM-F12 media, even with 10% FBS. (C) TGF-β is shown to be highly conserved in the microparticles, despite the processes of decellularization, which likely contributes to the chemotactic influence of the microparticles. (p < 0.05, *compared to DMEM, +compared to 10% FBS).