['The cell morphology, gene expression, and matrix synthesis of articular chondrocytes are known to vary with depth from the tissue surface. The objective of this study was to investigate if chondrocytes from different zones respond to in vitro oscillatory tensile loading in distinct ways and whether tensile strain, which is most prevalent near the articular surface, would preferentially stimulate superficial zone chondrocytes.', 'Chondrocytes were separately isolated from the superficial, middle, and deep zones of articular cartilage and seeded into three-dimensional fibrin hydrogel constructs. An intermittent protocol of oscillatory tensile loading was applied for 3 days, and the effects on extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis were assessed by measuring the incorporation of radiolabed precursors, size exclusion gel chromatography, and western blotting.', 'Tensile loading was found to be a potent stimulus for proteoglycan synthesis only in superficial zone chondrocytes. Although overall biosynthesis rates by deep zone chondrocytes were unaffected by tensile loading, the molecular characteristics of proteins and proteoglycans released to the culture medium were significantly altered so as to resemble those of superficial zone chondrocytes.'] Do articular chondrocytes derived from distinct tissue zones differentially respond to in vitro oscillatory tensile loading?