Investigation of articular cartilage degeneration and osteophyte formation in osteoarthritis using smoothened cond I t iona l knockout mice

骨赘形成是骨性关节炎的一种常见现象。软骨内成骨被认为是骨赘形成的重要病理生理过程。我们研究了软骨骨化过程中Hedgehog通路的关键成分Smo的缺失是否抑制了nlouse骨性关节炎的骨赘形成。缺失Smo的小鼠骨赘数量减少，提示Hedgehog信号在骨性关节炎中起重要作用。

Osteophyte formation is a common phenomenon in osteoarthritis. Endochondral ossification is considered an important pathophysiological process for osteophyte fornlation. We investigated whether the deletion of smoothened (Smo), a key component of the hedgehog pathway in the process of enchondral ossification, inhibits osteophyte formation in nlouse osteoarthritis. The attenuation of osteophyte was shown in the mice deleted Smo, indicating that hedgehog signaling has a critical role in the osteoarthritis.