Fig. 4

Histological results of tissue engineered cartilage. Assays were performed after 14 days of chondrogenic differentiation under free loading (FL) or dynamic compressive loading (DL) conditions in the bioreactor and 30 days of ectopic implantation in nude mice. a Representative gross view and histology of the resulting constructs. Sections stained with Safranin O or immunohistochemically stained with type II collagen and green fluorescent protein (GFP). Scale bar = 10 μm. b Semi-quantitative data of cartilage area. c Semi-quantitative data of chondrocyte number in the constructs. Values represent means ± SD (n = 8). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, vs. MSCs + FL; ^# P < 0.05, ^## P < 0.01, vs. M-MSCs + FL; ^▲ P < 0.05 vs. MSCs + DL. M-MSC manipulated mesenchymal stem cell, MSC mesenchymal stem cell