1 integrins are highly expressed on chondrocytes, where they mediate adhesion to cartilage matrix proteins. To assess the functions of 1 integrin during skeletogenesis, we inactivated the 1 integrin gene in chondrocytes. We show here that these mutant mice develop a chondrodysplasia of various severity. 1-deficient chondrocytes had an abnormal shape and failed to arrange into columns in the growth plate. This is caused by a lack of motility, which is in turn caused by a loss of adhesion to collagen type II, reduced binding to and impaired spreading on fibronectin, and an abnormal F-actin organization. In addition, mutant chondrocytes show decreased proliferation caused by a defect in G1/S transition and cytokinesis. The G1/S defect is, at least partially, caused by overexpression of Fgfr3, nuclear translocation of Stat1/Stat5a, and up-regulation of the cell cycle inhibitors p16 and p21. Altogether these findings establish that 1-integrin-dependent motility and proliferation of chondrocytes are mandatory events for endochondral bone formation to occur.[Keywords: Integrin; fibronectin; endochondral ossification; growth plate; cytokinesis; FGF] Supplemental material is available at http://www.genesdev.org.