Figure 2

mRNA expression profiles of human disc cell preparations cultured in vitro in monolayer or hydrogel. P1 cells were harvested at days 4, 7, and 14 and the expression of collagen type I (COL1), collagen type II (COL2), and aggrecan (ACAN) was analyzed. Expression values of the P1 cultures are expressed relative to the median expression of the cells at the end of the expansion phase (P0) (median because the data are not normally distributed). Boxes represent 25%/75% percentiles, mean values (dotted line) and median values (solid line).