Figure 3. Chondroitin sulfate regulates cell migration and wound closure in vitro. (A) Scanning electron micrograph of palatal fibroblasts cultured for 18 hrs in the presence of 30 mmol/L chlorate, after the making of a linear wound as described in MATERIALS & METHODS. The distance between the wound edges is indicated (*). (B) Statistical comparison of the distance between wound edges 18 hrs after wounding occurred shows a significant difference (one-way ANOVA; p < 0.001) among cells cultured in normal medium, medium supplemented with 30 mmol/L chlorate, or medium with 30 mmol/L chlorate plus 100 ng/mL chondroitin-6-sulfate (C6S). The wound gap in the chlorate-alone-treated group was significantly wider compared with that in the control group (Tukey’s test; p < 0.001) or with the group treated with chlorate plus chondroitin-6-sulfate (p < 0.001). Values represent mean ± SEM of 9 wounds per group.