Endochondral ossification in hindlimbs during bufo gargarizans metamorphosis: A model of studying skeletal development in vertebrates

Abstract

Background Endochondral ossification, the process by which most of the skeleton is formed, is accurately regulated by many specific groups of molecules and extracellular matrix components. The molecular mechanisms of endochondral ossification have been extensively investigated in mammals. However, there are few studies about it in amphibians. Results Ossification of femur and tibiofibula was observed at Gs 40, and tarsals and metatarsals were ossified at Gs 42. Most of the skeletons in hindlimbs were completely ossified except for articular cartilages at Gs 46. Thirty-two genes related to endochondral ossification were found in the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) library of hindlimbs, and nine of these genes were validated by qRT-PCR during metamorphosis. Sox9 was expressed in the columnar, prehypertrophic, and upper hypertrophic zones, and the expression of Ihh was observed in prehypertrophic chondrocyte zone in hindlimbs of B. gargarizans. Conclusions The ossification of hindlimbs increased gradually, and the ossification sequence was from proximal to distal in B. gargarizans during metamorphosis. Thirty-two genes found in the DEGs library were related to the regulation of endochondral ossification of hindlimbs in amphibians. The present study will provide a valuable genomic resource for the future study of endochondral ossification in amphibian. Developmental Dynamics 247:1121-1134, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enzymatic activity of bone markers on Lithobates catesbeianus (Shaw, 1802) growth during the ossification process

“…Alkaline phosphatase activity is higher in the diaphysis than in the tadpole epiphysis, while acid phosphatases activity is higher in the epiphysis than in the diaphysis (as shown in Table 1), indicating that bones begin to form at the center, following towards the ends (Çiçek et al, 2011;Carvalho, 1999, 2001;Florencio-Silva et al, 2015;Fröbisch, 2008;Gómez et al, 2017;Junqueira and Carneiro, 2013;Long and Ornitz, 2013;Pizauro Junior et al, 2002, 2017Song et al, 2010;Wu et al, 2016), enabling formation, and growth in thickness and length by the two types of ossification necessary for the animal's transition from the aquatic to the terrestrial environment (Bo et al, 2018;Gao et al, 2018;Nakajima and Yaoita, 2003).…”

“…The process of amphibian metamorphosis, characterized by behavioral, morphological, physiological and biochemical changes, is a classic model used to study the transition of vertebrates from an aquatic to a terrestrial environment (Bo et al, 2018;Gao et al, 2018;Kroth et al, 2018;Rigon et al, 2014).…”

“…Among the alterations, the morphological and the physiological ones are more easily perceptible, characterized by the regression of structures necessary only to tadpoles, by the transformation of some larval structures into structures necessary for adults, and by the development of structures only essential to adult animals (Bo et al, 2018;Gao et al, 2018).…”

“…Modifications of the skeletal system, more specifically the development of the forelimbs and hindlimbs, are critically important to anurans (Gao et al, 2018;Trueb and Hanken, 1992) to move in the terrestrial environment by jumping (Fabrezi et al, 2017;Pough et al, 2008).…”

Differential Gene Expression in Articular Cartilage and Subchondral Bone of Neonatal and Adult Horses

“…Our understanding of the genes and pathways involved in normal skeletogenesis has been largely driven by studies of morphogenesis in model species, including mice [6,7], zebrafish [8], chickens [9], and amphibians [10,11], and by investigation of severe skeletal dysplasias in humans [1]. These have identified a number of significant signaling factors involved in cellular differentiation, proliferation, and maturation, as well as the production of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins.…”