What is an chondrocyte?
Chondrocytes are the cells responsible for cartilage formation, and they are crucial for the process of endochondral ossification, which is useful for bone development. Also, by mimicking skeletal development chondrocytes play a critical role in fracture repair.
What is the function of the chondrocyte?
Chondrocytes in the AC proliferate and secrete extracellular matrix to maintain and sustain the cartilage. The cells themselves are separated from each other by cartilage matrix [2]. They respond to outside stimuli and tissue damage, and are also responsible for degenerative conditions, such as osteoarthritis (OA).
What is the structure of chondrocyte?
Structure. The chondrocyte in cartilage matrix has rounded or polygonal structure. The exception occurs at tissue boundaries, for example the articular surfaces of joints, in which chondrocytes may be flattened or discoid. Intra-cellular features are characteristic of a synthetically active cell.
What does a chondrocyte look like?
Chondrocytes, or chondrocytes in lacunae, are cells found in cartilage connective tissue. The number of chondrocytes found in cartilage determines how ‘bendy’ the cartilage is. When looking through a microscope, chondrocytes look similar to eyeballs floating in goo.
Where can we find the chondrocyte?
Chondrocytes, or chondrocytes in lacunae, are cells found in cartilage connective tissue. They are the only cells located in cartilage. They produce and maintain the cartilage matrix, which is a type of lake in which the chondrocytes swim.
What is the difference between chondrocyte and Chondroblast?
Chondroblasts are a type of immature cells whereas chondrocytes are a type of mature cells. The main difference between chondrocytes and chondroblasts is that chondroblasts secrete the extracellular matrix of the cartilage whereas chondrocytes are involved in the maintenance of the cartilage.
Do chondrocytes replicate?
Chondrocytes restart proliferation in a relatively uniform manner within the cartilaginous template. As the cartilage enlarges, chondrocytes stop proliferating in the center, drastically change their cell morphology, and become special chondrocytes termed hypertrophic chondrocytes.
What causes chondrocyte senescence?
Oxidative stress induced by ROS is the major cause of chondrocyte senescence. We, therefore, employed OxyIHC to detect protein oxidation in chondrocytes and found that oxidative stress was significantly increased in articular chondrocytes from 4- and 8-month-old PTENfl/fl mice (Fig.
What is hypertrophic chondrocyte?
Hypertrophic chondrocytes are specialized cells consid- ered to be the end state of the chondrocyte differentiation pathway, and are essential for bone growth. They are characterized by expression of type X collagen encoded by the Col10a1 gene, and synthesis of a calcified cartilage matrix.