Immunohistochemistry of collagen types II and X, and enzyme‐histochemistry of alkaline phosphatase in the developing condylar cartilage of the fetal mouse mandible

• Published in: Journal of anatomy Vol. 191; no. 4; pp. 561 - 570
• Main Authors: SHIBATA, SHUNICHI, FUKADA, KENJI, SUZUKI, SHOICHI, YAMASHITA, YASUO
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Edinburgh, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.11.1997
• Subjects: Alkaline Phosphatase - analysis; Animals; Bone; Cartilage - chemistry; Cartilage - embryology; Cartilage - enzymology; chondrocytes; Collagen - analysis; Gestational Age; Histocytochemistry; Immunohistochemistry; Mandibular Condyle - embryology; Mandibular Condyle - enzymology; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Morphogenesis - physiology; periosteum; Periosteum - physiology
• ISSN: 0021-8782; 1469-7580
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1469-7580.1997.19140561.x

We investigated the immunohistochemical localisation of types II and X collagen as well as the cytochemical localisation of alkaline phosphatase in the developing condylar cartilage of the fetal mouse mandible on d 14–16 of pregnancy. On d 14 of pregnancy, although no immunostaining for types II and X collagen was observed, alkaline phosphatase activity was detected in all cells in the anlage of the future condylar process. On d 15 of pregnancy, immunostaining for both collagen types was simultaneously detected in the primarily formed condylar cartilage. Alkaline phosphatase activity was also detected in chondrocytes at this stage. By d 16 of pregnancy, the hypertrophic cell zone rapidly increased in size. These findings strongly support a periosteal origin for the condylar cartilage of the fetal mouse mandible, and show that progenitor cells for condylar cartilage rapidly or directly differentiate into hypertrophic chondrocytes.