Department of Developmental Biology, Center for Medical Biotechnology, University Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany.
Pediatr Nephrol. 2010 Apr;25(4):625-31. doi: 10.1007/s00467-009-1368-6. Epub 2009 Dec 1.
During endochondral ossification bones are formed as cartilage templates in which chondrocytes proliferate, differentiate into hypertrophic chondrocytes and are gradually replaced by bone. Postnatally, remnants of embryonic chondrocytes remain in a restricted domain between the ossified regions of the bones forming the growth plate. The coordinated proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes ensures the continuous elongation of the epiphyseal growth plates. The sequential changes between proliferation and differentiation are tightly regulated by secreted growth factors, which activate chondrocyte-specific transcription factors. Transcription factors that play critical roles in regulating cell-type-specific gene expression include Sox9, Gli2/3, and Runx2. The interaction of these transcription factors with general transcriptional regulators like histone-modifying enzymes provides an additional level of regulation to fine-tune the expression of target genes in different chondrocyte populations. This review will outline recent advances in the analysis of the complex transcriptional network that regulates the distinct steps of chondrocyte differentiation.
在软骨内成骨过程中，骨骼是由软骨模板形成的，软骨细胞在其中增殖、分化为肥大软骨细胞，并逐渐被骨取代。出生后，胚胎软骨细胞的残余物保留在骨骼骨化区域之间的一个受限区域，形成生长板。软骨细胞的协调增殖和分化确保了骺板的持续伸长。增殖和分化之间的顺序变化受分泌的生长因子的严格调节，这些生长因子激活软骨细胞特异性转录因子。在调节细胞类型特异性基因表达中起关键作用的转录因子包括 Sox9、Gli2/3 和 Runx2。这些转录因子与组蛋白修饰酶等一般转录调节剂的相互作用为精细调节不同软骨细胞群体中靶基因的表达提供了额外的调节水平。本综述将概述在分析调节软骨细胞分化的不同步骤的复杂转录网络方面的最新进展。
