Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

S-100 protein in human chondrocytes

Abstract

Chondrocytes in the fetal skull and visceral cartilage are considered to be of neural crest origin1 while those found elsewhere in the body are thought to be derived from mesoderm2,3 (mesodermal chondrocytes). Chondrocytes of pelvic rudiments from chick embryos are the only cells known to respond to nerve growth factor that are not of neuroectodermal origin4. In addition, embryonic spinal cord5 and neural retina6 of chickens synthesize type II collagen5,6, originally thought to be confined to cartilage. Here we report the presence of the S-100 protein (S-100) in chondrocytes of skull, vertebrae, ribs, sternum, larynx and long bones of the human fetus, and larynx and xiphoid process of the human adult. Mesodermal chondrocytes are the only cells which contain S-100 and yet are not considered to be of neuroectodermal origin, thus our results indicate that these chondrocytes may be developmentally closer to neuroectoderm than traditionally thought.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. LeLivre, C. J. embryol. exp. Morph. 31, 453–477 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Holzer, H. & Detwiler, S. R. J. exp. Zool. 123, 335–369 (1953).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Hall, B. K. Adv. Anat. Embryol. Cell Biol. 53, 1–49 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Eisenbarth, G. S., Drezner, M. K. & Lebovitz, H. E. J. Pharmac. exp. Ther. 192, 630–634 (1975).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Trelstad, R. L., Kang, A. H., Cohen, A. M. & Hay, E. D. Science 179, 295–297 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Smith, G. N., Leisenmayer, T. F. & Newsome, D. A. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 73, 4420–4423 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Moore, B. W. & Perez, V. J. in Physiological and Biochemical Aspects of Nervous Integration (ed. Carlson, F. D.) 343–368 (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1968).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Moore, B. W. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 19, 739–744 (1965); Int. Rev. Neurobiol. 15, 215–255 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Dannies, P. S. & Levine, L. J. biol. Chem. 246, 6276–6283 (1971).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Donato, R. & Michetti, F. Experientia 30, 511–512 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Miani, N., Michette, F., DeRenzi, G. & Ganiglia, A. Experientia 29, 1499–1501 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hyden, H., Lange, P. W. & Larson, S. J. neurol. Sci. 45, 303–316 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Miani, N., DeRenzi, G., Michette, F., Sangiacomo, C. O. & Ganiglia, A. J. Neurochem. 19, 1387–1394 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Zuckerman, J. E., Herschmann, H. R. & Levine, L. J. Neurochem. 17, 247–251 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Perez, V. J., Olney, J. W., Cicero, T. J., Moore, B. W. & Bahn, B. A. J. Neurochem. 17, 511–519 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ludwin, S. K., Kosek, J. C. & Eng, L. F. J. comp. Neurol. 165, 197–208 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Matus, A. & Mughals, S. Nature 258, 746–748 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Sviridou, S. M., Korochkin, L., Ivanov, V. N., Maletskaya, E. I. & Bakhtina, T. K. J. Neurochem. 19, 713–718 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Hansson, H. A., Persson, L., Rönnbäck, L. & Haglid, K. G. Cytobios 15, 45–48 (1976).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Hyden, H. & McEwen, B. S. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 55, 354–358 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Stefansson, K., Wollman, R. L. & Moore, B. W. Brain Res. (in the press).

  22. Stefansson, K. & Wollmann, R. L. Acta neuropath. 52, 135–140 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Levine, L. & Moore, B. W. Neurosci. Res. Prog. Bull. 3, 18–22 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stefansson, K., Wollmann, R., Moore, B. et al. S-100 protein in human chondrocytes. Nature 295, 63–64 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/295063a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/295063a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing