A distinct cohort of progenitor cells participates in synovial joint and articular cartilage formation during mouse limb skeletogenesis.

ABSTRACT: The origin, roles and fate of progenitor cells forming synovial joints during limb skeletogenesis remain largely unclear. Here we produced prenatal and postnatal genetic cell fate-maps by mating ROSA-LacZ-reporter mice with mice expressing Cre-recombinase at prospective joint sites under the control of Gdf5 regulatory sequences (Gdf5-Cre). Reporter-expressing cells initially constituted the interzone, a compact mesenchymal structure representing the first overt sign of joint formation, and displayed a gradient-like distribution along the ventral-to-dorsal axis. The cells expressed genes such as Wnt9a, Erg and collagen IIA, remained predominant in the joint-forming sites over time, gave rise to articular cartilage, synovial lining and other joint tissues, but contributed little if any to un

SUBMITTER: Koyama E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2373417 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature