Table 1.
Wakitani cartilage repair scoring system [25].
Fig 1.
Microscopic-stained images of normal and defective cartilage.
a–d: Normal cartilage. a: Stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE; × 400); b: Stained with safranin-O/fast green (SO; ×200); c: Type II collagen immunohistochemically stained image (×100); d: Type I collagen immunohistochemically stained image (×100). Hyaline cartilage cell morphology resembling a round shaped cell was observed. Cartilage 4 weeks after the creation of an osteochondral defect. e: Stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE; × 400); f: Stained with safranin-O/fast green (SO; ×200); g: Type II collagen immunohistochemically stained image (×100); h: Type I collagen immunohistochemically stained image (×100). Fibroblastic cell morphology resembling a spindle shaped cell was observed. Black bars represent 0.1 mm. Arrowheads denote the border between the defect area and host cartilage.
Fig 2.
Histological images at 2 weeks.
Macroscopic image and microscopic images of regenerated cartilage at 2 weeks. A: C group (Control); B: E group (exercise without MSC); C: M group (no exercise with MSC injection); D: ME group (exercise with MSC injection). a: macroscopic image. The arrow heads pointed edges of the defect; b: stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE; ×200); c: stained with HE (×400); d: stained with safranin-O/fast green (×200); e: type II collagen immunohistochemically stained image (×100); f: type I collagen immunohistochemically stained image (×100). The arrow heads in b, d-f denote the border between the defect area and host cartilage. Black bars represent 0.1 mm.
Fig 3.
Histological images at 4 weeks.
Macroscopic image and microscopic images of regenerated cartilage at 4 weeks. A: C group (Control); B: E group (exercise without MSC); C: M group (no exercise with MSC injection); D: ME group (exercise with MSC injection). a: macroscopic image. The arrow heads pointed edges of the defect; b: stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE; ×200); c: stained with HE (×400); d: stained with safranin-O/fast green (×200); e: type II collagen immunohistochemically stained image (×100); f: type I collagen immunohistochemically stained image (×100). The arrow heads in b, d-f denote the border between the defect area and host cartilage. Black bars represent 0.1 mm.
Fig 4.
Histological images at 8 weeks.
Macroscopic and microscopic images of regenerated cartilage at 8 weeks. A: C group (Control); B: E group (exercise without MSC); C: M group (no exercise with MSC injection); D: ME group (exercise with MSC injection). a: macroscopic image. The arrow heads pointed edges of the defect; b: stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE; ×200); c: stained with HE (×400); d: stained with safranin-O/fast green (×200); e: type II collagen immunohistochemically stained image (×100); f: type I collagen immunohistochemically stained image (×100). The arrow heads in b, d-f denote the border between the defect area and host cartilage. Black bars represent 0.1 mm.
Fig 5.
Wakitani cartilage repair score.
a: At 2 weeks, b: At 4 weeks, c: At 8 weeks. Boxplots display the median and interquartile range, n = 8/group, (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01).
Fig 6.
Quantitative evaluation for area% of type II collagen IHC staining.
a: At 2 weeks, b: At 4 weeks, c: At 8 weeks. Boxplots display the median and interquartile range, n = 8/group, (*P < 0.05, **; P < 0.01).
Table 2.
Results of 5 parameter and total score in Wakitani score in 2, 4, and 8 weeks.
Displacement values were given as median (interquartile). MSC: mesenchymal stromal cell, C: control group, E group: exercise group, M group: MSC injection group, ME group: exercise with MSC injection group. n = 8, (vs. C: *; P < 0.05, **; P < 0.01, vs. E: †; P < 0.05, ‡; P < 0.01, vs. M: §; P < 0.05).