Stable subclones of the chondrogenic murine cell line MC615 mimic distinct stages of chondrocyte differentiation

Fourteen stable subclones derived from the murine chondrogenic cell line MC615 were established and characterised regarding their differentiation stages and responsivity to BMP2. Based on their gene expression profiles which revealed remarkable variances in Col2a1 and Col10a1 expression, subclones could be grouped into at least three distinct categories. Three representative subclones (4C3, 4C6 and 4H4) were further characterised with respect to gene expression pattern and differentiation capacity. These subclones resembled (i) weakly differentiated chondrogenic precursors, strongly responding to BMP2 stimulation (4C3), (ii) collagen II expressing chondrocytes which could be induced to undergo maturation (4C6) and (iii) mature chondrocytes expressing Col10a1 and other markers of hypertrophy (4H4). Interestingly, BMP2 administration caused Smad protein phosphorylation and stimulated Col10a1 expression in all clones, but induced Col2a1 expression only in precursor-like cells. Most remarkably, these clones maintained a stable gene expression profile at least until the 30th passage of subconfluent culture, but revealed reproducible changes in gene expression and differentiation pattern in long term high density cultures. Thus, the newly established MC615 subclones may serve as a potent new tool for investigations on the regulation of chondrocyte differentiation and function. J. Cell. Biochem. 108: 589–599, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.