About this Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology article

Molecular Analysis of Chondrocytes Cultured in Agarose in Response to Dynamic Compression by Carole Bougault; Anne Paumier; Elisabeth Aubert-Foucher; Frédéric Mallein-Gerin is a Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology article available to read on EtoBox.

## Background Articular cartilage is exposed to high mechanical loads under normal physiological conditions and articular chondrocytes regulate the composition of cartilaginous matrix, in response to mechanical signals. However, the intracellular pathways involved in mechanotransduction are still being defined. Using the well-characterized chondrocyte/agarose model system and dynamic compression, we report protocols for preparing and characterizing constructs of murine chondrocytes and agarose, and analyzing the effect of compression on steady-state level of mRNA by RT-PCR, gene transcription by gene reporter assay, and phosphorylation state of signalling molecules by Western-blotting. The mouse model is of particular interest because of the availability of a large choice of bio-molecular tools suitable to study it, as well as genetically modified mice. ## Results Chondrocytes cultured in agarose for one week were surrounded by a newly synthesized pericellular matrix, as revealed by immunohistochemistry prior to compression experiments. This observation indicates that this model system is suitable to study the role of matrix molecules and trans-membrane receptors in cellular respon

Author

Carole Bougault; Anne Paumier; Elisabeth Aubert-Foucher; Frédéric Mallein-Gerin

Publisher

BioMed Central; Springer (Biomed Central Ltd.); [London]: BioMed Central, 2001-; Springer Science and Business Media LLC (ISSN 1472-6750)

Published

2008

Language

EN

Field

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)