chondrocyte
(histology) A cartilage cell.
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A cell that forms cartilage.
A specialized, mature non-dividing cartilage cell which secretes chondrin, the matrix of cartilage.
A mature cartilage cell embedded in a lacuna within the cartilage matrix.
Chondrocytes (from Greek chondros cartilage + kytos cell) are the only cells found in cartilage. They produce and maintain the cartilaginous matrix, which consists mainly of collagen and proteoglycans. Although chondroblast is still commonly used to describe an immature chondrocyte, use of the term is discouraged, for it is technically inaccurate, since the progenitor of chondrocytes (which are mesenchymal stem cells) can also differentiate into osteoblasts.
From least- to terminally-differentiated, the chondrocytic lineage is:
When referring to bone or cartilage, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are commonly
known as osteochondrogenic (or osteogenic, chondrogenic, osteoprogenitor, etc.) cells since a single MSC has shown the ability to
differentiate into chondrocytes or osteoblasts, depending on the medium. In vivo,
differentiation of a MSC in a vascularized area (such as bone) yields an osteoblasts, whereas
differentiation of a MSC in a non-vascularized area (such as cartilage) yields a chondrocyte. Chondrocytes undergo terminal
differentiation when they become hypertrophic during endochondral ossification. This last
stage is characterized by major
| Bone and cartilage | |
|---|---|
| Cartilage | chondroblast, chondrocyte, perichondrium, types (hyaline, elastic, fibrous), fibrocartilage callus, metaphysis |
| Bone | ossification (intramembranous, endochondral, epiphyseal plate), cycle (osteoblast, osteoid, osteocyte, osteoclast), types (cancellous, cortical), regions (epiphysis, metaphysis, diaphysis), structure (osteon/Haversian system, Haversian canals, endosteum, periosteum, Sharpey's fibres, enthesis, lacunae, canaliculi, trabeculae, medullary cavity, bone marrow), shapes (long, short, flat, irregular, sesamoid) |
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