Abstract: To investingate the effect of drug on apoptosis of chondrocyte in osteoarthritis, the three chondrocyte apoptosis models were established，treated with sodium nitroprusside （SNP）、all-trans retinoic acid （ATRA）and tumor necrosis factor-a （TNF-a） respectively. The apoptosis rate were analysed by Annexin V/PI with flow cytometry and the characteristic alterations of morphology were detected by electron miscroscope. When rabbit chondrocyte were incubated with SNP （2mmol/l），and ATRA （10^-4 mmol/l），and chondrocyte coming from fetal were incubated with TNF-a（30/μg/L） for 24h,they all could induce apoptosis in chondrocyte in vitro. The re-sults suggested that the chondrocyte apoptosis models could be established by sodium nitroprus-side、all-trans retinoic acid and tumor necrosis factor-α respectively.

Key words: Chondrocyte, Apoptosis, Model