Vitamin D receptor in chondrocytes promotes osteoclastogenesis and regulates FGF23 production in osteoblasts
J. Clin. Invest. Ritsuko Masuyama, et al. 116:3150 doi:10.1172/JCI29463 [Go to this article.]

Figure 5
Decreased vascularization and osteoclast number in neonatal and 15-day-old Cre⁺VDR^fl/fl mice. (A–D) Endothelial cells and osteoclasts were visualized by CD31 (A and B) and TRAP (C and D) staining, respectively, in neonatal Cre^–VDR^fl/fl (A and C) and Cre⁺VDR^fl/fl (B and D) tibiae. Scale bar: 200 μm. (E) Intercapillary distance, measured at 0, 75, and 150 μm from the growth-plate border in neonatal and 15-day-old tibiae was larger in Cre⁺VDR^fl/fl mice compared with Cre^–VDR^fl/fl mice. (F) The number of osteoclasts at the terminal row of hypertrophic chondrocytes in neonatal tibiae was significantly lower in Cre⁺VDR^fl/fl mice. (G) Osteoclast surface (Oc.S) was significantly decreased in 15-day-old Cre⁺VDR^fl/fl tibiae. (H) Calcitonin receptor, RANKL, and VEGF mRNA levels in neonatal and 15-day-old Cre⁺VDR^fl/fl femora was determined by qRT-PCR, corrected for HPRT mRNA copies, and expressed relative to Cre^–VDR^fl/fl mice set at 100%. *P < 0.05 versus Cre^–VDR^fl/fl.