[Objective] To investigate the appropriate dose and duration SNP in inducing apoptosis of porcine chondrocytes, and to construct apoptosis model of porcine chondrocytes. [Methods] The chondrocytes for culture and identification isolated from porcine ankle cartilage in vitro. The chondrocytes were treated with different concentrations of SNP (0 mmol/L， 0.05 mmol/L, 0.1 mmol/L, 0.2 mmol/L, 0.4 mmol/L, 0.8 mmol/L, 1.6 mmol/L). Cell proliferation of chondrocytes was measured after culturing for 12 h, 24 h, and 48 h, respectively. Apoptosis detection and mitochondrial membrane potential detection were performed on specific groups. [Results] The Optical density （OD） values of 0.05 mmol/L and 0.1 mmol/L SNP-treated chondrocytes were greater than the 0 mmol/L SNP-treated chondrocytes. The OD values of 0.2 mmol/L, 0.4 mmol/L, 0.8 mmol/L, and 1.6 mmol/L SNP-treated chondrocytes were smaller than the 0 mmol/L SNP-treated chondrocytes. Flow cytometry showed that apoptosis in 0.2 mmol/L, 0.4 mmol/L, 0.8 mmol/L, and 1.6 mmol/L SNP-treated chondrocytes, Moreover, the apoptosis rate increased with the increase of SNP concentration. The relative ratio of the red fluorescence intensity to the green fluorescence intensity decreased with the increase of SNP concentration in the 0 mmol/L, 0.2 mmol/L, 0.4 mmol/L, 0.8 mmol/L, and 1.6 mmol/L SNP-treated chondrocytes. [Conclusion] 0.05 mmol/L and 0.1 mmol/L SNP promote the proliferation of porcine chondrocytes and cannot be used to construct apoptosis model of porcine chondrocytes. 0.2 mmol/L, 0.4 mmol/L, 0.8 mmol/L, and 1.6 mmol/L SNP trigger apoptosis of chondrocytes and can be used to construct chondrocytes apoptosis models with different severity. In addition, as the SNP concentration increases, the mitochondrial membrane potential of chondrocytes gradually decreases.