Figure 5.

HNPs and HMPs stimulated the maturation of chondrocytes. A) Schematic illustration of HNPs stimulated chondrocyte maturation. After co‐culturing with different concentrations HNPs/HMPs for seven days, the relative genes B) COL IIs, C) SOX9, D) Aggrecan, E) NCAD, F) HIF‐1α, G) GLUT‐1, H) GLUT‐3, I) GLUT‐4, J) GLUT‐8 of chondrocyte maturation were elevated. K) The expression of Aggrecan protein in chondrocytes. L) Glucose uptake of chondrocytes cultured with HNPs/HMPs. HNPs and HMPs significantly promoted chondrocytes maturation via stimulating HIF‐1α and GLUT pathway related genes. The relative gene amount of CTR groups was set as 1. Repeat number: n = 6. In the experiment, the statistical analysis between the CTR group and the other groups was conducted, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 (one‐way ANOVA followed by Dunnett's multiple comparisons test). Error bars represent mean ± SD.