Mechanical injury of bovine cartilage explants induces depth-dependent, transient changes in MAP kinase activity associated with apoptosis

Spatiotemporal patterns of MAP kinase signalling in cartilage after mechanical injury strongly correlate with changes in cell viability and chondrocyte apoptosis. Importantly, these signals may be pro-survival or pro-apoptotic depending on zonal location and time post-injury. These data yield mechanistic insights which may improve the diagnosis and treatment of cartilage injuries.