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Fig. 3 | BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Fig. 3

From: Expression of the RANK/RANKL/OPG system in the human intervertebral disc: implication for the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration

Fig. 3

The effect of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) on mRNA levels of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (RANK)/ RANK ligand (RANKL)/ osteoprotegerin (OPG) in annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. The mRNA expressions of RANK (a, b), RANKL (c, d), and, OPG (e, f) by AF (a, c, e) and NP (b, d, f) cells were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Stimulation with IL-1β significantly increased mRNA expression of RANK, RANKL, and OPG by both AF and NP cells. There was a tendency that the ratio of RANKL/OPG by both AF and NP cells (g, h) was increased by stimulation with IL-1β: *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 vs. control

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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

ISSN: 1471-2474

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