Embryonic stem cells can provide an unlimited supply of pluripotent cells for tissue engineering applications. Bone tissue engineering by directly differentiating ES cells (ESCs) into osteoblasts has been unsuccessful so far. Therefore, we investigated an alternative approach, based on the process of endochondral ossification. A cartilage matrix was formed in vitro by mouse ESCs seeded on a sca...

INTRODUCTION: Bone regeneration occurs through a series of spatiotemporal events influenced by the mechanical environment, various local and systemic factors, and the embryological origin of the specific bone. Long bone fractures treated with flexible fixation heal primarily through endochondral ossification. Following an initial inflammatory phase, mesenchymal cells proliferate and undergo cho...

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling has been implicated in the development of osteoblasts and osteoclasts whose balanced activities are critical for proper bone formation. Since many mouse mutants in the Hh pathway are embryonic lethal, questions on the exact effects of Hh signaling on osteogenesis remain. Using zebrafish larvae mutant in Indian Hedgehog, patched1, patched2 and suppressor of fused (dre), w...

Endochondral ossification plays an important role in the formation of the primary ossification centers (POCs) and secondary ossification centers (SOCs) of mammalian long bones. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate POC and SOC formation are different. We recently demonstrated that Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain-containing Protein 2 (Phd2) is a key mediator of vitamin C effects on bone. We ...

INTRODUCTION Fracture repair constitutes the sequence of cell biological events following bone injury and recapitulates the steps of endochondral ossification observed during embryonic skeletal development and growth. Because of the different phases of fracture healing (inflammation, cartilage formation and remodeling) the fracture callus provides an excellent tool for analysis of cartilage and...

The histologic evaluation of endochondral ossification is critical to the study of fracture healing, developmental biology, and comparative histology. A modification of Sayers’ alcian blue hematoxylin staining technique is described in which a different counterstain is applied. Paraffin sections are stained in alcian blue hematoxylin for 30 min, and then placed in orange G-eosin counterstain fo...

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling has been implicated in the development of osteoblasts and osteoclasts whose balanced activities are critical for proper bone formation. Since many mouse mutants in the Hh pathway are embryonic lethal, questions on the exact effects of Hh signaling on osteogenesis remain. Using zebrafish larvae mutant in Indian Hedgehog, patched1, patched2 and suppressor of fused (dre), w...

Endochondral bone formation observed at the mandibular condyle is regulated by various growth factors including insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). In this paper, we describe a method for the local administration of IGF-I to the bilateral mandibular articular cavities of 3- and 12-week-old rats, and the effects of IGF-I on endochondral bone formation by histomorphometric techniques. In 3-week...

UNLABELLED A bioinformatics-based analysis of endochondral bone formation model detected several genes upregulated in this process. Among these genes the dickkopf homolog 3 (Dkk3) was upregulated and further studies showed that its expression affects in vitro and in vivo osteogenesis. This study indicates a possible role of Dkk3 in regulating bone formation. INTRODUCTION Endochondral bone for...