Optimized “In Vitro” Culture Conditions for Human Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fibroblasts

<div>Effect of TNF<i>α</i> and synovial fluid on intracellular calcium dynamics in ATP-challenged fibroblast-like synovial cells. (a) Quantitative evaluation of basal intracellular calcium levels in FLS exposed to either TNF<i>α</i> or SF pool 1 for either 2 or 7 days. No significant changes in basal intracellular calcium dynamics in the different experimental conditions are observed. A drastic change in amplitude of response (b) and percentage of responding cells (c) to 1 mM ATP is observed between TNF<i>α</i> and SF samples. In particular, TNF<i>α</i> seems to have an acute effect at shorter times of exposure on the quantity of functional P2 receptor at the plasma membrane, while SF samples show an important change in responsiveness at longer times of exposure.</div>

Mediators of Inflammation

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Figure 5

Figure 5: Optimized “In Vitro” Culture Conditions for Human Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fibroblasts 