Cover -- Title page -- Preface -- Dedication -- Sponsors -- Contents -- Chapter 1: Indian Hedgehog and Retinoids Orchestrate Multiple Growth Plate Functions in Developing Long Bones: The Growth Plate as a Highly Interactive Structure -- Chapter 2: Involvement of Cbfal in Chondrocyte Differentiation Maturation, Endochondral Ossification, and the Specification of the Cartilage Phenotype -- Chapter 3: Cell Maturation Specific Regulation of the PKC Signaling Pathway by lα, 25-(OH)[sub(2)]D[sub(3)] and 24R, 25-(OH)[sub(2)]D[sub(3)] in Growth Plate Chondrocytes -- Chapter 4: Regulation of Chondrogenesis and Cartilage Maturation In Vitro: Role of TGF-β1, Thyroid Hormone, and Wnt Signaling -- Chapter 5: Local Production of Estradiol by Growth Plate Chondrocytes and its Gender-Specific Membrane Mediated Effects -- Chapter 6: Components of the Cartilage Extracellular Matrix Regulate Chondrocyte Apoptosis -- Chapter 7: The Release and Activation of TGF-β2 Associated with Chondrocyte Hypertrophy and Apoptosis -- Chapter 8: Cell Death and Transdifferentiation in the Growth Plate -- Chapter 9: Matrix Vesicles Contain Metalloproteinases that Are Released into the Matrix by Treatment with lα,25(OH)[sub(2)]D[sub(3)] and Are Capable of Activating Latent Transforming Growth Factor-β1 -- Chapter 10: Mechanisms that Regulate Normal Bone Mineral Deposition: A Hypothesis on the Role of Antagonistic Pathways in Preventing Hypo- and Hyper-Mineralization -- Chapter 11: In Vitro Differentiation and Matrix Vesicle Biogenesis in Primary Cultures of Rat Growth Plate Chondrocytes -- Chapter 12: Growth Plate Proteins and Biomineralization -- Chapter 13: Regulated Production of Mineralization-Competent Matrix Vesicles by Terminally Differentiated Chondrocytes -- Chapter 14: Linking Endochondral Ossification to Hematopoiesis.

Chapter 15: Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) Mutations in Achondroplasia and Related Skeletal Dysplasias -- Chapter 16: Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva: Evolving Insights from a Rare Disease -- Chapter 17: Matrix Vesicle Misfunction in Human Hypophosphatasia -- Chapter 18: Tibial Dyschondroplasia: A Growth Plate Abnormality Caused by Delayed Terminal Differentiation -- Chapter 19: RUNX2/CBFA1 Mutations in Cleidocranial Dysplasia: Phenotypic and Structure/Function Correlations -- Chapter 20: BMP-Regulated Chondrocyte Hypertrophy -- Chapter 21: Dual Roles of the Wnt Antagonist, Frzb-1 in Cartilage Development -- Chapter 22: Chondrocyte Kinetics in the Growth Plate -- Chapter 23: Localization of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins and their Intercellular Signaling Components (Smads) in the Growth Plate -- Author Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- P -- R -- S -- T -- U -- W -- Y -- Z.