Chitosan scaffolds have been shown to possess biological and mechanical properties suitable for tissue engineering and clinical applications. In the present work, chitosan sponges were evaluated regarding their ability to support cartilage cell proliferation and maturation, which are the first steps in endochondral bone formation. Chitosan sponges were seeded with chondrocytes isolated from chi...

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling has been implicated in the development of osteoblasts and osteoclasts whose balanced activities are critical for proper bone formation. Since many mouse mutants in the Hh pathway are embryonic lethal, questions on the exact effects of Hh signaling on osteogenesis remain. Using zebrafish larvae mutant in Indian Hedgehog, patched1, patched2 and suppressor of fused (dre), w...

Studies have suggested that continuous Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in nascent cartilaginous skeletal elements blocks chondrocyte hypertrophy and endochondral ossification, whereas signaling starting at later stages stimulates hypertrophy and ossification, indicating that Wnt/beta-catenin roles are developmentally regulated. To test this conclusion further, we created transgenic mice expressing a...

Endochondral ossification plays an important role in the formation of the primary ossification centers (POCs) and secondary ossification centers (SOCs) of mammalian long bones. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate POC and SOC formation are different. We recently demonstrated that Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain-containing Protein 2 (Phd2) is a key mediator of vitamin C effects on bone. We ...

We have used fluorescein isosthiocyanate-conjugated gelatin (FITC-gelatin) (1 mg/ml) to localize cell surface fibronectin in unfixed live cells in cultures. FITC-gelatin stains the fibronectin matrix on primary cultures of rat and chick embryo fibroblasts as well as untransformed, established cell lines. In live cultured cells, fibronectin in many areas of the extracellular matrix is inaccessib...

The histologic evaluation of endochondral ossification is critical to the study of fracture healing, developmental biology, and comparative histology. A modification of Sayers’ alcian blue hematoxylin staining technique is described in which a different counterstain is applied. Paraffin sections are stained in alcian blue hematoxylin for 30 min, and then placed in orange G-eosin counterstain fo...

It is widely accepted that Meckel's cartilage in mammals is uncalcified hyaline cartilage that is resorbed and is not involved in bone formation of the mandible. We examined the spatial and temporal characteristics of matrix calcification in Meckel's cartilage, using histochemical and immunocytochemical methods, electron microscopy and an electron probe microanalyser. The intramandibular portio...

The fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) plays a critical role in the regulation of endochondral ossification. Fgfr3 gain-of-function mutations cause achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, and a spectrum of chondrodysplasias. Despite a significant number of studies on the role of FGFR3 in cartilage, to date, none has investigated the influence of Fgfr3-mediated effects of the ...

The extraction of catfish (Clarias gariepinus) bone gelatin was optimized by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) involving 4-factors, 5-levels Central Composite Design (CCD). The optimum conditions for extraction were produced by a pre-treatment of 3.35% HCl for 14.5 h along with hot water extraction at 67.23°C for 5.2 h. Results showed that the predicted yield by RSM (61.81%) was closely ...

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling has been implicated in the development of osteoblasts and osteoclasts whose balanced activities are critical for proper bone formation. Since many mouse mutants in the Hh pathway are embryonic lethal, questions on the exact effects of Hh signaling on osteogenesis remain. Using zebrafish larvae mutant in Indian Hedgehog, patched1, patched2 and suppressor of fused (dre), w...