Differential Gene Expression Associated With Postnatal Articular Cartilage Maturation

Chondrocyte gene expression was analyzed to study mechanisms involved in the structural and functional adaptation of articular cartilage during postnatal maturation. Transcriptional profiling was used to compare articular chondrocytes between four neonatal and four adult horses. Expressional differences featured matrix proteins and matrix-modifying enzymes reflecting the transition from cartilage growth to cartilage homeostasis. Keywords: articular cartilage, maturation, horse, cDNA microarray This is a direct comparison between full-thickness neonatal and adult articular cartilage transcriptomes. Cartilage from four neonatal horses were compared to cartilage from four adults. For each comparison and its dye-swap, one neonate was randomly compared to one adult.