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

Houston, Dean A.; Staines, Katherine A.; MacRae, Vicky E.; Farquharson, Colin

Abstract

The fundamental process of endochondral ossification is under tight regulation in the healthy individual so as to prevent disturbed development and/or longitudinal bone growth. As such, it is imperative that we further our understanding of the underpinning molecular mechanisms involved in such disorders so as to provide advances towards human and animal patient benefit. The mouse metatarsal organ explant culture is a highly physiological ex vivo model for studying endochondral ossification and bone growth as the growth rate of the bones in culture mimic that observed in vivo. Uniquely, the metatarsal organ culture allows the examination of chondrocytes in different phases of chondrogenesis and maintains cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, therefore providing conditions closer to the in vivo situation than cells in monolayer or 3D culture. This protocol describes in detail the intricate dissection of embryonic metatarsals from the hind limb of E15 murine embryos and the subsequent analyses that can be performed in order to examine endochondral ossification and longitudinal bone growth.

Citation

Houston, D. A., Staines, K. A., MacRae, V. E., & Farquharson, C. (2016). Culture of Murine Embryonic Metatarsals: A Physiological Model of Endochondral Ossification. Journal of Visualized Experiments, 118(118), Article e54978. https://doi.org/10.3791/54978

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 3, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Mar 12, 2016
• Publication Date: Dec 3, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jan 13, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 13, 2017
• Journal: Journal of Visualized Experiments
• Publisher: Journal of Visualized Experiments
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 118
• Issue: 118
• Article Number: e54978
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3791/54978
• Keywords: General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology; General Immunology and Microbiology; General Chemical Engineering; General Neuroscience
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/462056