Synovial joint cavitation initiates with microcavities in interzone and is coupled to skeletal flexion and elongation in developing mouse embryo limbs.

ABSTRACT: The synovial cavity and its fluid are essential for joint function and lubrication, but their developmental biology remains largely obscure. Here, we analyzed E12.5 to E18.5 mouse embryo hindlimbs and discovered that cavitation initiates around E15.0 with emergence of multiple, discrete, µm-wide tissue discontinuities we term microcavities in interzone, evolving into a single joint-wide cavity within 12 h in knees and within 72-84 h in interphalangeal joints. The microcavities were circumscribed by cells as revealed by mTmG imaging and exhibited a carbohydrate and protein content based on infrared spectral imaging at micro and nanoscale. Accounting for differing cavitation kinetics, we found that the growing femur and tibia anlagen progressively flexed at the knee over time, with peak angu

SUBMITTER: Kim M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9212078 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature