Collagen 1 and 3 mRNA expression determined by RT-PCR.

Stacked bar charts of the relative mRNA amounts, collagen 1 (white bar) and 3 (black bar), recorded for Bard mesh^TM (A), Physiomesh^TM (B), the new composite mesh (C) and Ventralight^TM (D) at the different study times (left panel). Results are the mean ± SEM of three experiments. Gene expression was normalized to that of the GAPDH gene. Agarose gels obtained (right panel). Mw: molecular weight markers; 1/2: 14 days postimplant; 3/4: 90 days postimplant; N: negative. Col 1: *, p<0.05 and **, p<0.01 vs. Bard^TM at 90 days; #, p<0.01 vs. new composite mesh at 14 days. Col 3: |, p<0.05 vs. Bard^TM at 90 days; †, p<0.05 and ††, p<0.01 vs. Physiomesh^TM at 14 days; ‡, p<0.05 vs. new composite mesh at 14 days.