Purpose of review: The goal of the review is to summarize the current knowledge on the process of chondrocyte-to-osteoblast transdifferentiation during endochondral bone formation and its potential implications in fracture healing and disease.
Recent findings: Lineage tracing experiments confirmed the transdifferentiation of chondrocytes into osteoblasts. More recent studies lead to the discovery of molecules involved in this process, as well as to the hypothesis that these cells may re-enter a stem cell-like phase prior to their osteoblastic differentiation. This review recapitulates the current knowledge regarding chondrocyte transdifferentiating into osteoblasts, the developmental and postnatal events where transdifferentiation appears to be relevant, and the molecules implicated in this process.
Keywords: Chondrocyte; Endochondral ossification; Fracture healing; Hypertrophy; Osteoblast; Transdifferentiation.