Targeting Bone Cells During Sexual Maturation Reveals Sexually Dimorphic Regulation of Endochondral Ossification.

ABSTRACT: In endochondral ossification, chondroblasts become embedded in their matrix and become chondrocytes, which are mature cells that continue to proliferate, eventually becoming hypertrophic. Hypertrophic chondrocytes produce cartilage that is then resorbed by osteoclasts prior to bone matrix replacement via osteoblasts. Although sexually dimorphic bone phenotypes have long been characterized, specific modulation of the growth plate during a critical window in sexual maturation has not been evaluated. Here we report that specific depletion of osteocalcin- (OCN-) expressing cells in vivo during sexual maturation leads to dimorphic bone phenotypes in males and females. At 6 to 8 weeks of age, OCN-Cre;iDTR (inducible diphtheria toxin receptor-expressing) mice were treated with diphtheria toxin (D

SUBMITTER: Fairfield H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7657395 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature