Long bones develop from cartilage by a process of endochondral (within cartilage) ossification (Fig 1). In the fetus, the bone anlages (early bone templates) are composed entirely of cartilage. Centers of ossification (bone formation) develop in the center of the future long bone (diaphysis) and also at the ends of these long bones (epiphysis). As ossification proceeds, a bony epiphysis develop...

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) gene delivery has shown to induce bone formation in vivo in cell-based tissue engineering. In addition, the chemoattractant stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α, also known as CXCL12) is known to recruit multipotent stromal cells towards its release site where it enhances vascularisation and possibly contributes to osteogenic differentiation. To investigat...

Heterotopic ossification is defined as bone formation in nonosseous tissues. Heterotopic ossification usually occurs in trauma such as fractures and surgical procedures. Heterotopic ossification of the hip, for example, is the most common complication of total hip arthroplasty (THA). It can occur in as many as 53% of THA patients, and it causes postoperative disability from pain and limited ran...

Heterotopic ossification is defined as bone formation in nonosseous tissues. Heterotopic ossification usually occurs in trauma such as fractures and surgical procedures. Heterotopic ossification of the hip, for example, is the most common complication of total hip arthroplasty (THA). It can occur in as many as 53% of THA patients, and it causes postoperative disability from pain and limited ran...

Complex elbow trauma, severe burn, or a closed head injury render patients at risk for developing heterotopic ossification around the elbow. When heterotopic ossification restricts elbow motion, some patients request surgical resection. We performed a systematic review of the literature to analyze improvement in elbow motion after resection of heterotopic ossification around the elbow. We found...

  Progressive osseous heteroplasia is a rare inherited disease that begins with skin ossification and proceeds into the deeper connective tissues. The disease should be distinguished from other genetic disorders of heterotopic ossification including fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) and Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO). We report a case of progressive osseous heteroplasia in a...

Fibroblast growth factors (FGF) and their receptors serve many functions in both the developing and adult organism. Humans contain 18 FGF ligands and four FGF receptors (FGFR). FGF ligands are polypeptide growth factors that regulate several developmental processes including cellular proliferation, differentiation, and migration, morphogenesis, and patterning. FGF-FGFR signaling is also critica...

Endochondral ossification is very unique and complex biological event which is associated with skeletal development and tissue partnering. Genetic studies and gene-targeting approaches identified several transcription factors that play important roles in endochondral ossification. These transcription factors sequentially and harmoniously regulate each step of endochondral ossification, and cons...

Dendriform pulmonary ossification is a rare condition often diagnosed by either surgery or postmortem examination. We report a 43-y-old man with a history of nonproductive cough for 1 y. His physical examination was unremarkable. Chest computed tomography showed multiple bilateral micronodules in both lower lobes; however, the patient's pulmonary function was normal. Flexible bronchoscopy with ...