Table 1 Primers designed using Primer Premier 6.0 software

Type II collagen

NM_001006951.1

5′-GAAGAGCGGAGACTACTGGATTG-3′

5′-AGGCGGAGGAAGGTCATCTG-3′

Type I collagen

NM_001003090.1

5′-TTCTGGTCCTCGTGGTCTCC-3′

5′-CTTCACCGTCATCTCCGTTCTT-3′

Aggrecan

NM_001113455.1

5′-GCAGGACCAGACTGTCAGATAC-3′

5′-TCCAGGCGTGTGATGAAGAAC-3′

SOX-9

NM_001002978.1

5′-CCAGCGAACGCACATCAAGA-3′

5′-TGTAGGTGAAGGTGGAGTAGAGG-3′

GAPDH

NM_001003142.1

5′-TCTGCTCCTTCTGCTGAT-3′

5′-GCCTGCTTCACTACCTTC-3′