Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Bone Formation by Endochondral Ossification01:24

Bone Formation by Endochondral Ossification

14.1K
Bone formation, or ossification, begins around the sixth to seventh week of embryonic development. Most bones develop from a cartilaginous template through the process of endochondral ossification. Cartilage formation begins when clusters of mesenchymal cells differentiate into chondrocytes. These chondrocytes proliferate rapidly and secrete an extracellular matrix that becomes encased in a membrane called the perichondrium. The resulting cartilage model provides a template that resembles the...
14.1K
Growth of Cartilage and Bone Tissue01:27

Growth of Cartilage and Bone Tissue

4.8K
Chondrocytes form a temporary cartilaginous model by dividing and secreting a thick gel-like extracellular matrix. Once the chondrocytes undergo programmed cell death, osteoblasts enter the site of the cartilaginous model. The process of replacing the temporary cartilaginous model with bone in an ordered manner is called endochondral ossification. In endochondral ossification, not all of the cartilage is replaced by bone tissue. Some cartilage that performs a protective and supportive function...
4.8K
Bone Cells and Tissue01:30

Bone Cells and Tissue

12.1K
Bones contain a relatively small number of cells entrenched in a matrix of organic and inorganic components. Although bone cells compose only a small amount of the bone volume, they are crucial to its function. Four types of cells are found within the bone tissue— osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteogenic cells, and osteoclasts.
Osteoblasts and Osteocytes
The osteoblast is the bone cell responsible for forming new bone tissue. It is found in the growing portions of bone, including the...
12.1K
Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling01:31

Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling

4.8K
Osteoclasts are cells responsible for bone resorption and remodeling. They originate from hematopoietic progenitor cells present in the bone marrow. Numerous progenitor cells fuse to form multinucleated cells, each with 10-20 nuclei. A single osteoclast has a diameter of 150 to 200 µM. These cells have ruffled borders that break down the underlying bone tissue and release minerals such as calcium into the blood in bone resorption. Osteoclasts cling to bones with their ruffled edges during...
4.8K
Bone Remodeling01:40

Bone Remodeling

41.1K
Bone remodeling is a continuous and balanced process of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. In adults, it helps maintain bone mass and calcium homeostasis. While mechanical stress can stimulate turnover as part of the normal maintenance and reparative process, several hormones also regulate bone remodeling.
41.1K
Development of the Limb Synovial Joints01:07

Development of the Limb Synovial Joints

2.7K
Joints form during embryonic development in conjunction with the formation and growth of the associated bones. The embryonic tissue that gives rise to all bones, cartilage, and connective tissues of the body is called mesenchyme.
The mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into chondrocytes that form the hyaline cartilage, and later the cartilaginous model of the bone. This model further transforms into a bone. This process is known as endochondral ossification.
During development, the limbs...
2.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Arylsulfatase I is a novel lysosomal chondroitin endosulfatase regulating endochondral ossification.

Matrix biology : journal of the International Society for Matrix Biology·2026
Same author

fam20b-dependent proteoglycans do not affect dermal bone formation and fin regeneration, but Bmp signalling promotes fin regenerate outgrowth.

Differentiation; research in biological diversity·2025
Same author

The holocephalan ratfish endoskeleton shares trabecular and areolar mineralization patterns, but not tesserae, with elasmobranchs little skate and catshark.

eLife·2025
Same author

Oxidative stress-induced intervertebral disc remodelling and elevated stiffness drive idiopathic scoliosis in preclinical models.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Comparison study on hyaline cartilage versus fibrocartilage formation in a pig model by using 3D-bioprinted hydrogel and hybrid constructs.

Biofabrication·2024
Same author

Proteoglycan inhibition of canonical BMP-dependent cartilage maturation delays endochondral ossification.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Culture of Murine Embryonic Metatarsals: A Physiological Model of Endochondral Ossification
07:23

Culture of Murine Embryonic Metatarsals: A Physiological Model of Endochondral Ossification

Published on: December 3, 2016

12.5K

On the evolutionary relationship between chondrocytes and osteoblasts.

Patsy Gómez-Picos1, B Frank Eames1

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK Canada.

Frontiers in Genetics
|October 7, 2015
PubMed
Summary

The evolution of bone in vertebrates likely involved the co-option of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) from mature cartilage. Comparative transcriptomics can test this hypothesis and reveal how novelties arise.

Keywords:
EvoDevoGRNRunx2Sox9bonecartilagecomparative transcriptomics

More Related Videos

Co-localization of Cell Lineage Markers and the Tomato Signal
10:56

Co-localization of Cell Lineage Markers and the Tomato Signal

Published on: December 28, 2016

12.8K
Culturing and Measuring Fetal and Newborn Murine Long Bones
06:58

Culturing and Measuring Fetal and Newborn Murine Long Bones

Published on: April 26, 2019

8.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Culture of Murine Embryonic Metatarsals: A Physiological Model of Endochondral Ossification
07:23

Culture of Murine Embryonic Metatarsals: A Physiological Model of Endochondral Ossification

Published on: December 3, 2016

12.5K
Co-localization of Cell Lineage Markers and the Tomato Signal
10:56

Co-localization of Cell Lineage Markers and the Tomato Signal

Published on: December 28, 2016

12.8K
Culturing and Measuring Fetal and Newborn Murine Long Bones
06:58

Culturing and Measuring Fetal and Newborn Murine Long Bones

Published on: April 26, 2019

8.8K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary developmental biology
  • Molecular genetics
  • Comparative genomics

Background:

  • Vertebrates uniquely produce bone, but its evolutionary origin at the molecular level is unclear.
  • Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) control cell differentiation, with transcription factors like Sox9 and Runx2 being key components.
  • Skeletal tissues—immature cartilage, mature cartilage, and bone—share similarities yet possess unique characteristics, suggesting an evolutionary relationship.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To hypothesize the evolution of the gene regulatory network (GRN) for bone formation in vertebrates.
  • To investigate the roles of Sox9 and Runx2 transcription factors in skeletal tissue differentiation.
  • To propose testable models for the origin of bone as an evolutionary novelty.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of traditional evolutionary data (fossil record, comparative anatomy, embryology).
  • Analysis of modern molecular genetic studies on GRNs.
  • Focus on comparative transcriptomics for hypothesis testing.

Main Results:

  • Immature cartilage predates mature cartilage and bone evolutionarily.
  • Sox9 and Runx2 GRNs show conserved yet distinct regulatory mechanisms across skeletal tissues.
  • The Sox9 GRN appears dominant over the Runx2 GRN in cartilage development.

Conclusions:

  • The Runx2 GRN underlying bone formation was likely co-opted from mature cartilage.
  • Comparative transcriptomics offers a powerful approach to quantitatively assess evolutionary constraints and adaptations.
  • This research provides a framework for understanding the evolution of skeletal cells and evolutionary novelties.