Lineage tracing using matrilin-1 gene expression reveals that articular chondrocytes exist as the joint interzone forms

Abstract

We have developed a mouse in which the Cre recombinase gene has been targeted to exon 1 of the matrilin-1 gene (Matn1) to investigate the origins of articular chondrocytes and the development of the knee joint. Analysis of joints from offspring of Matn1-Cre/R26R crosses demonstrated that articular chondrocytes are derived from cells that have never expressed matrilin-1 whereas the remainder of the chondrocytes in the cartilage anlagen expresses matrilin-1. A band of chondrocytes adjacent to the developing interzone in the E13.5 day knee joint became apparent because these chondrocytes did not turn on expression of matrilin-1 in contrast to the other chondrocytes of the anlagen. The chondrocytes of the presumptive articular surface therefore appear to arise directly from a subpopulation of early chondrocytes that do not activate matrilin-1 expression rather than by redifferentiation from the flattened cells of the interzone. In addition, lineage tracing using both Matn1-Cre/R26R and Col2a1-Cre/R26R lines indicated that non-cartilaginous structures in the knee such as cruciate ligament, synovium and some blood vessels are formed by cells derived from the early chondrocytes of the anlagen.

Periderm prevents pathological epithelial adhesions during embryogenesis

“…For histological analysis, embryos were dissected from timemated pregnant female mice, the morning on which the vaginal plug was detected being designated E0.5. Embryos were staged on the basis of external morphological characteristics, fixed in Bouin's solution, dehydrated through a graded ethanol series, cleared in chloroform, embedded in wax, sectioned at 6 μm, and stained with H&E. Nonradioactive section in situ hybridization was performed as described previously (48), with the exception that sections were detected using BM Purple (Roche). The Irf6 probe has been described previously (49).…”

Differential limb loading in miniature pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus): a test of chondral modeling theory

“…There is evidence that articular chondrocytes derive from a unique cellular subpopulation prior to early embryological differentiation (Hyde et al, 2007). While both cartilage types express many of the same transcription factors during development, such transcription factors play different roles in articular vs physeal cartilage (Dy et al, 2010).…”

Typ 5-Kollagen im Gelenkknorpel von Mensch und Pferd

“…Since that time further distinctive features have emerged. Matrilin-1 is not present in mouse or rabbit articular cartilage at any stage, whereas it is present in epiphyseal cartilage (Kavanagh and Ashhurst 1999, Murphy et al 1999, Segat et al 2000, Hyde at al. 2007).…”

“…The pericellular distribution of type V collagen around articular chondrocytes persists throughout life in the rabbit Ashhurst 1996 and2001). Other unique features of articular cartilage are that the matrix does not contain type II collagen until after cavitation and matrilin-1 is never found in normal articular cartilage; both are present in epiphyseal cartilage (Bland and Ashhurst 1996and 2001, Kavanagh and Ashhurst 1999, Murphy et al 1999, Segat et al 2000, Hyde et al 2007). It seems unlikely that this pericellular distribution of type V collagen is unique to the rabbit.…”