凋亡在软骨细胞分化中的作用

Role of apoptosis in chondrocyte differentiation

目的:探讨凋亡在软骨细胞分化中的作用。方法:采用透视电镜和TUNEL方法,检测5和12周龄的正常家兔肋软骨细胞的凋亡变化。结果:软骨细胞的增殖和分化是渐进过程,透视电镜结果表明软骨细胞的凋亡从增殖带和肥大带交接处开始出现;TUNEL结果表明凋亡存在整个软骨组织区,但以肥大带凋亡率高,且此凋亡率随年龄增加而增高。结论:家兔肋软骨生长板软骨细胞从静止区到骨化区细胞的增殖和分化是一个渐进过程,在此过程中凋亡可能起着重要的调节作用。

Objective To explore the effect of apoptosis on chondrocyte differentiation. Methods The apoptosis of costal chondrocytes of 5-week-old and 12-week-old rabbits was detected by methods of transmission electron microscopy and TUNEL. Results The proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes was a gradual procedure. The apoptotic chondrocytes occurred at boundary from proliferation zone to hypertrophy zone by using transmission electron microscopy. The apoptosis existed in the whole cartilage zone, but the apoptotic percentage was highest in hypertrophy zone and increased with the age by using TUNEL method. Conclusion The proliferation and differentiation of costal chondrocytes from silence zone to bone zone of rabbits is a gradual procedure, in which apoptosis may play an important regulatory effect.