生物医学转化 (Dec 2023)

The role of hypertrophic chondrocytes in fracture healing

  • Zhu Daoyu,
  • Gao Junjie,
  • Gao Youshui

DOI
https://doi.org/10.12287/j.issn.2096-8965.20230401
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 4
pp. 2 – 9-16

Abstract

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Fracture healing is a multifactorial process. Most fractures are healed by the process of endochondral ossification, involving the formation of a cartilaginous soft callus and the process of cartilage-tobone transition. Hypertrophic chondrocytes have been considered as the terminal state of chondrocytes, which locate between soft cartilaginous callus and bony hard callus. Hypertrophic chondrocytes mediate the crosstalk regulating cell-matrix degradation, vascularization, osteoclast recruitment, and osteoblast differentiation via autocrine and paracrine manners. Furthermore, hypertrophic chondrocytes can become osteoprogenitors and mature osteoblasts, and directly contribute to woven bone formation. In summary, elucidating the role of hypertrophic chondrocytes will contribute to the understanding of the physiological mechanism of fracture healing, research and development of novel therapeutic mode of fracture care, and further promoting fracture healing.

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