Rosati R, Horan G S, Pinero G J, Garofalo S, Keene D R, Horton W A, Vuorio E, de Crombrugghe B, Behringer R R
Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.
Nat Genet. 1994 Oct;8(2):129-35. doi: 10.1038/ng1094-129.
To investigate the role of type X collagen in skeletal development, we have generated type X collagen-null mice. Surprisingly, mice without type X collagen were viable and fertile and had no gross abnormalities in long bone growth or development. No differences were detected between the type X collagen-null mice and controls when growth plates of both newborn and 3-week old mice were examined by histology and by immunostaining for extracellular matrix components of bone including osteopontin, osteocalcin and type II collagen. Our results suggest that type X collagen is not required for long bone development. However, mice and humans with dominant acting type X collagen mutations have bone abnormalities, suggesting that only the presence of abnormal type X collagen can modify bone growth and development.
