Bone morphogenetic protein-7 in growth-plate chondrocytes: Regulation by retinoic acid is dependent on the stage of chondrocyte maturation

The expression of bone morphogenetic protein-7 was examined in chick growth-plate chondrocyte cultures. Low basal levels of bone morphogenetic protein-7 mRNA and protein expression were stimulated by increasing doses of all-trans retinoic acid, a metabolite of vitamin A. Data obtained support a role for bone morphogenetic protein-7 as an autocrine regulator of chondrocyte maturation in the growth plate. Regulation of bone morphogenetic protein-7 by retinoic acid may be important in normal growth and development as well as pathologic conditions of an excess or deficiency of vitamin A.