234 CARTILAGE CALCIFICATION AND BMP SIGNALING IN EARLY HAND OSTEOARTHRITIS

TAK1 mediates BMP signaling in cartilage.

Although many signals are capable of activating MAPK signaling cascades in chondrocytes in vitro, the function of these pathways remains unclear in vivo. Here we report the phenotype of mice with a conditional deletion of TGF-beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), a MAP3K family member, in cartilage using the collagen 2alpha promoter. These mice display chondrodysplasia characterized by neonatal-onset...

BMP Signaling Maintains Healthy Joint Cartilage

BMP signaling and early embryonic patterning.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) play pleiotropic roles during embryonic development as well as throughout life. Recent genetic approaches especially using the mouse gene knockout system revealed that BMP signaling is greatly involved in early embryonic patterning, which is a dynamic event to establish three-dimensional polarities. The purpose of this review is to describe the diverse functio...

TAK1 is an essential regulator of BMP signaling in cartilage

Thank you very much for submitting your research manuscript for consideration to The EMBO Journal editorial office. As you will see from the attached comments, all three referees indicate clear interest in your study that establish not only TAK1 function in chondrocytes but also reveal a rather specific role of TAK1 downstream of BMP but not TGFbeta. However, two of these scientists demand furt...

Aging, osteoarthritis and transforming growth factor-β signaling in cartilage

Osteoarthritis is a common malady of the musculoskeletal system affecting the articular cartilage. The increased frequency of osteoarthritis with aging indicates the complex etiology of this disease, which includes pathophysiology and joint stability including biomechanics. The balance between anabolic morphogens and growth factors and catabolic cytokines is at the crux of the problem of osteoa...