Ocampo, Pablo E. [UNESP]Vallejo, Viviana [UNESP]Montoya, Luis M.Rocha, Noeme S. [UNESP]Landim, Fernanda da C. [UNESP]Rahal, Sheila C. [UNESP]2022-05-012022-05-012021-07-01Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Pecuarias, v. 34, n. 3, p. 212-223, 2021.2256-29580120-0690http://hdl.handle.net/11449/233265Background: Osteoarthritis is a complex degenerative disease with several factors contributing to joint damage. Objective: To compare the potential effect of hyaluronic acid (HA) and triamcinolone acetonide (TA), alone or combined, on the in vitro chondrogenic differentiation process of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Methods: MSCs were divided into four groups: Control, HA, TA, and HA/TA combined. Each treatment group was cultured for 14 days in chondrogenic differentiation medium. The chondrogenic differentiation potential was assessed by histology and immunohistochemistry. Results: The HA and HA/TA-treated MSCs presented histological characteristics similar to native chondrocytes. The extracellular matrix (ECM) of TA-treated MSCs was compact and organized. Glycosaminoglycan staining was intense in Control, moderate in TA, slight in HA/TA, and undetectable in HA. Type II collagen immunoreactivity was high in the TA-treated ECM and MSCs. Conclusions: Histological analysis shows that HA influences morphological development similar to chondrocytes of the MSCs, but with low expression of specific cartilage molecules. The TA promotes formation of a compact and organized ECM.212-223engCartilageCell differentiationChondrocytesChondrogenesisChondrogenic differentiationCollagenCorticosteroidsGlucocorticoidHistologyHyaluronic acidMesenchymal stem cellOsteoarthritisTriancinolone acetonideViscosupplementationArtigo10.17533/udea.rccp.v34n3a062-s2.0-85110174025