title: Concave microwell plate facilitates chondrogenesis from mesenchymal stem cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare in vitro chondrogenesis from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells using concave microwell plates with those obtained using culture tubes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pellets cultured in concave microwell plates had a significantly higher level of GAG per DNA content and greater proteoglycan content than those cultured in tubes at day 7 and 14. Three chondrogenic markers, SOX-9, COL2A1 and aggrecan, showed significantly higher expression in pellets cultured in concave microwell plates than those cultured in tubes at day 7 and 14. At day 21, there was not a significant difference in the expression of these markers. COL10A1, the typical hypertrophy marker, was significantly lower in concave microwell plates during the whole culture period. Runx-2, a marker of hypertrophy and osteogenesis, was significantly lower at day 7 in pellets cultured in concave microwell plates than those cultured in tubes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concave microwell plates provide a convenient and effective tool for the study of in vitro chondrogenesis and may replace the use of propylene culture tube.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, 814 Siksa-Dong, Goyang, 411-773, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Yun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, 814 Siksa-Dong, Goyang, 411-773, Republic of Korea. gunil@duih.org.
authors.forename: Gun-Il
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Im
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020219:Chondrogenesis; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: Chondrogenesis; Chondrogenic markers; Concave microwell plate; Mesenchymal cells; Microwell culture; Pellet culture