Figure 2

qRT-PCR analysis of chondrogenic genes. (A) Histogram displays the qRT-PCR analysis of collagen type II (Col II), Sox9, aggrecan (Acan), and Col X in a cell micromass culture in the existence of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from chondrocyte aggregates (Cho-ag-EV) and MSC aggregates (MSC-ag-EV) and Co-aggregates (Co-ag-EV) in chondrogenic medium with ( +) and without (−) TGFß1 after 21 days in vitro histological analysis. (B, a) Statistical analysis of the comparison between micromass diameters of all experimental groups and the control that demonstrated the Co-ag-EV + and MSC-ag-EV + groups show bigger size and differentiation phenotype of MSCs to chondrocytes than the control group (received chondrogenic medium contain TGFß1) and Cho-ag-EV group. (B, b) Toluidine blue was performed for (TB) of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) micromass sections that differentiated into chondrocytes in the presence of extracellular vesicles (EVs) harvested from chondrocyte aggregates (Cho-ag-EV) and MSC aggregates (MSC-ag-EV) and Co-aggregates (Co-ag-EV) in chondrogenic medium with ( +) and without (−) TGFß1 after 21 days. (B, c) Statistical analysis of TB staining based on the percent of positive staining area. TB staining does not display a statistically significant difference between the groups. (B, d) safranin O (SO) staining was performed for all micromass sections. (B, e) Statistical analysis of SO staining based on the percent of positive staining area. SO staining does not display a statistically significant difference between the groups. The results are expressed as the mean ± SEM. *Significant difference compared with the control group (∗p < 0.05; **p < 0.01).