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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Dec 30.
Published in final edited form as: Histol Histopathol. 2021 Jun 17;36(10):1021–1036. doi: 10.14670/HH-18-355

Figure 1. Multifactorial roles of hypertrophic chondrocytes and their molecular regulation.

Figure 1.

A. Magnified graphical representation of growth plate structure and morphology.

B. Enhanced cartoon of pre-hypertrophic and hypertrophic zones and primary spongiosa. Volumetric swelling due to increased synthesis of intracellular organelles and cytoplasmic water intake facilitates progressive hypertrophic chondrocyte enlargement. GH, IGF-1, Sox9, BMP2, HIF1α and FGFRs regulate chondrocyte hypertrophy, swelling, metabolism and apoptosis. Col10 is a marker for hypertrophic chondrocytes. Runx2 and Sox9 are required for transdifferentiation of hypertrophic chondrocytes into osteoblasts.