Effects Of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor And Insuline-like Growth Factor-â…  On The Type â…¡ Collagen Expression In Cultured Rabbit Articular Chondrocyte In Vitro

Objective: To investigate the effects of single and combined use of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF ) and insuline-like growth factor- I (IGF- I ) on the expression of type II collagen in cultured rabbit multi-passaged articular chondrocytes in vitro. Method: Cultured chondrocytes of passage 3 and 5 and 7 were stimulated by bFGF(1,5,10ng/ml) or IGF- I (10,50,100ng/ml) and bFGF (5ng/ml) +IGF- I (100ng/ml) . The expression of type II collagen was tested by immunohistochemistry method qualitatively and semiquantitatively analyzed by image analysis system.Results: Regular cultured chondrocytes after passage 5 had no positive expression of type II collagen . The expression of type II collagen of passage 3, 5 and 7 chondrocytes stimulated by bFGF or IGF- I of each concernation was higher than that of regular cultured group (P<0.01), that of IGF- I group was statistically higher than bFGF group(P<0.01), and that in bFGF+IGF- I group significantly higher than that of bFGF or IGF- I group of any concernation respectively (P<0.05).