Figure 4

Reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis of gene expression within collagen and hyaluronic acid (HA) scaffolds seeded with hypoxia- and normoxia-cultured bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). BMSCs were isolated/expanded under normoxia or hypoxia, seeded within collagen or HA scaffolds, and subsequently differentiated under normoxia or hypoxia for 14 days in chondrogenic medium. RT-qPCR was performed by using SYBR Green detection. (A-F) Data represent the mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM) of constructs in doublets based on oxygen tension group. (G-I) Data represent mean ± SEM of constructs from the same donors pooled on the basis of oxygen tension during isolation/expansion or differentiation. Statistical analysis is represented by the following: unlabeled indicates not significant, ^approaching significance P = 0.05-0.10, *significant P <0.05, **significant P <0.01, ***significant P <0.001, and ⁺monolayer control value that is significantly different than BMSC-seeded scaffolds (P <0.05). COMP, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein; SOX9, sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box 9.