Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. It is a semi-transparent and non-porous type of tissue. It is usually covered by a tough and fibrous membrane called perichondrium. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints as articular cartilage, and is a structural component of many body parts including the rib cage, the neck and the bronchial tubes, and the intervertebral discs. In other taxa, such as chondrichthyans, but also in cyclostomes, it may constitute a much greater proportion of the skeleton. It is not as hard and rigid as bone, but it is much stiffer and much less flexible than muscle. The matrix of cartilage is made up of glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, collagen fibers and, sometimes, elastin. It usually grows quicker than bone.
Osteoblasts are cells with a single nucleus that synthesize bone. However, in the process of bone formation, osteoblasts function in groups of connected cells. Individual cells cannot make bone. A group of organized osteoblasts together with the bone made by a unit of cells is usually called the osteon.
Chondrocytes are the only cells found in healthy cartilage. They produce and maintain the cartilaginous matrix, which consists mainly of collagen and proteoglycans. Although the word chondroblast is commonly used to describe an immature chondrocyte, the term is imprecise, since the progenitor of chondrocytes can differentiate into various cell types, including osteoblasts.
Endochondral ossification is one of the two essential processes during fetal development of the mammalian skeletal system by which bone tissue is produced. Unlike intramembranous ossification, the other process by which bone tissue is produced, cartilage is present during endochondral ossification. Endochondral ossification is also an essential process during the rudimentary formation of long bones, the growth of the length of long bones, and the natural healing of bone fractures.
Spondyloperipheral dysplasia is an autosomal dominant disorder of bone growth. The condition is characterized by flattened bones of the spine (platyspondyly) and unusually short fingers and toes (brachydactyly). Some affected individuals also have other skeletal abnormalities, short stature, nearsightedness (myopia), hearing loss, and mental retardation. Spondyloperipheral dysplasia is a subtype of collagenopathy, types II and XI.
Collagen, type II, alpha 1 , also known as COL2A1, is a human gene that provides instructions for the production of the pro-alpha1(II) chain of type II collagen.
Multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (MED), also known as Fairbank's disease, is a rare genetic disorder that affects the growing ends of bones. Long bones normally elongate by expansion of cartilage in the growth plate near their ends. As it expands outward from the growth plate, the cartilage mineralizes and hardens to become bone (ossification). In MED, this process is defective.
Pseudoachondroplasia is an inherited disorder of bone growth. It is a genetic autosomal dominant disorder. It is generally not discovered until 2–3 years of age, since growth is normal at first. Pseudoachondroplasia is usually first detected by a drop of linear growth in contrast to peers, a waddling gait or arising lower limb deformities.
FYVE, RhoGEF and PH domain-containing protein 1 (FGD1) also known as faciogenital dysplasia 1 protein (FGDY), zinc finger FYVE domain-containing protein 3 (ZFYVE3), or Rho/Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor FGD1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FGD1 gene that lies on the X chromosome. Orthologs of the FGD1 gene are found in dog, cow, mouse, rat, and zebrafish, and also budding yeast and C. elegans. It is a member of the FYVE, RhoGEF and PH domain containing family.
The sulfate transporter is a solute carrier family protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC26A2 gene. SLC26A2 is also called the diastrophic dysplasia sulfate transporter (DTDST), and was first described by Hästbacka et al. in 1994. A defect in sulfate activation described by Superti-Furga in achondrogenesis type 1B was subsequently also found to be caused by genetic variants in the sulfate transporter gene. This sulfate (SO42−) transporter also accepts chloride, hydroxyl ions (OH−), and oxalate as substrates. SLC26A2 is expressed at high levels in developing and mature cartilage, as well as being expressed in lung, placenta, colon, kidney, pancreas and testis.
Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), also known as thrombospondin-5, is an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein primarily present in cartilage. In humans it is encoded by the COMP gene.
Collagen alpha-1(X) chain is a protein that in humans is a member of the collagen family encoded by the COL10A1 gene.
Collagen alpha-1(IX) chain is a protein that in humans is encoded by the COL9A1 gene.
Collagen alpha-1(XI) chain is a protein that in humans is encoded by the COL11A1 gene.
Collagen alpha-2(IX) chain is a protein that in humans is encoded by the COL9A2 gene.
Collagen alpha-3(IX) chain is a protein that in humans is encoded by the COL9A3 gene.
WNT1-inducible-signaling pathway protein 3 is a matricellular protein that in humans is encoded by the WISP3 gene.
Matrilin-2 is a matrilin protein that in humans is encoded by the MATN2 gene.
Matrilin 1, cartilage matrix protein, also known as MATN1, is a matrilin protein which in humans is encoded by the MATN1 gene.
Boomerang dysplasia is a lethal form of osteochondrodysplasia known for a characteristic congenital feature in which bones of the arms and legs are malformed into the shape of a boomerang. Death usually occurs in early infancy due to complications arising from overwhelming systemic bone malformations.
