Evidence of vasculature and chondrocyte to osteoblast transdifferentiation in craniofacial synovial joints: Implications for osteoarthritis diagnosis and therapy.

ABSTRACT: Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) leads to permanent cartilage destruction, jaw dysfunction, and compromises the quality of life. However, the pathological mechanisms governing TMJ OA are poorly understood. Unlike appendicular articular cartilage, the TMJ has two distinct functions as the synovial joint of the craniofacial complex and also as the site for endochondral jaw bone growth. The established dogma of endochondral bone ossification is that hypertrophic chondrocytes undergo apoptosis, while invading vasculature with osteoprogenitors replace cartilage with bone. However, contemporary murine genetic studies support the direct differentiation of chondrocytes into osteoblasts and osteocytes in the TMJ. Here we sought to characterize putative vasculature and cartilage to bo

SUBMITTER: Ruscitto A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7380713 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature