Background: Integrins are a family of transmembrane proteins that allow communication between the extracellular matrix and the interior of cells. Chondrocytes, cells of articular cartilage, express integrins and these molecules appear to have a variety of roles including mechanotransduction. Integrins are known to associate with a number of accessory molecules such as CD147 that may act to regu...

OBJECTIVE To examine the genome-wide distribution of hydroxymethylated cytosine (5hmC) in osteoarthritic (OA) and normal chondrocytes in order to investigate the effect on OA-specific gene expression. METHODS Cartilage was obtained from OA patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty or from control patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Genome-wide sequencing of 5hmC-e...

OBJECTIVE Chondrocytes respond to insulin, but the presence and role of the specific high affinity insulin receptor (InsR) has never been demonstrated. This study determined whether human chondrocytes express the InsR and compared its abundance and function in normal and osteoarthritis (OA) human chondrocytes. DESIGN Cartilage sections were immunostained for detection of the InsR. Non-prolife...

Chondrocytes at different stages of cellular differentiation were isolated from the tarsal element (immature chondrocytes) and zones 2 and 3 (mature chondrocytes) of 12-d chick embryo tibiotarsus. The chondrocytes from the two sources differed in their cell morphologies, growth rate and production of type X collagen. In 24 h, zone 2 and 3 chondrocytes synthesized 800 times more type X collagen ...

The culture of chondrocytes is one of the most powerful tool for exploring the intracellular and molecular features of chondrocyte differentiation and activation. However, chondrocytes tend to dedifferentiate to fibroblasts when they are subcultured, which is a major problem. This chapter describes several protocols for culturing chondrocytes of different anatomical origins (articular and costa...

Mechanical factors play a key role in regulating the development of cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis. This study aimed to identify the influence of mechanical stress in cartilage and chondrocytes. To explore the effects of mechanical stress on cartilage morphology, we observed cartilages in different regions by histological and microscopic examination. Nanoindentation was performed to as...

Expansion of chondrocytes for repair of articular cartilage can lead to dedifferentiation, making it difficult to obtain a sufficient quantity of chondrocytes. Although previous studies have suggested that culture in a three-dimensional environment induces redifferentiation of dedifferentiated chondrocytes, its underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood in terms of metabolism compared wi...

The close apposition of osteoblasts and chondrocytes in bone and their interaction during bone development and regeneration suggest that they may each regulate the other's growth and differentiation. In these studies, osteoblasts and chondrocytes were co-cultured in vitro, with both direct and indirect contact. Proliferation of the co-cultured chondrocytes was enhanced using soluble factors pro...

Raman microspectroscopy is employed to monitor the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells chondrocytes, from subcellular extracellular matrix evolution.

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease that causes functional limitations in addition to pain and has become a major global health problem recent decades. Meta-analysis of studies on patients with knee OA showed physical exercise can function as clinically relevant, effective intervention non-drug treatment for reducing improving activity [1]. In chondrocyt...