Irx 3 and Bmp 2 Regulate Mouse Mesenchymal Cell Chondrogenic Differentiation in Both a Sox 9-Dependent and-Independent Manner † Running head : Irx 3 and Bmp 2 in chondrogenic differentiation

1 School of Health and Sports Science, Mukogawa Women’s University, Nishinomiya, Japan 2 Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Human Care, Tohto College of Health Sciences, Saitama, Japan 3 Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan *Correspondence to: Shigeyuki Wakitani, School of Health and Sports Science, Mukogawa Women’s University, 6-46 Ikebiraki-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 663-8558, Japan. Tel: 81-798-45-9907; Fax: 81-798-45-9907. E-mail: swakitani44@gmail.com