Fig. 4

Load-induced alteration of GAG and collagen synthesis and expression of differentiation markers. A, B Changes in ³⁵S-sulfate and ³H-proline incorporation over 24 h following termination of loading on day 21 (d21) and day 35 (d35) are shown. Data were normalized to the DNA content of samples and values of the non-loaded controls were set to 1 (dashed line). C Effects of loading on ACAN and COL2A1 gene expression in MSC-based neocartilage at day 21 and day 35. Data of compressed samples are shown as mean ± SD relative to the uncompressed group indicated by a dashed line. T-test, *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001 compressed versus free-swelling controls (n = 3–10 constructs)