Nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) and calcineurin are essential regulators of immune
cell and mesenchymal cell differentiation. Here we show that elevated intracellular calcium
induces chondrogenesis through a calcineurin/NFAT signaling axis that activates bone
morphogenetic protein (BMP) expression. The calcium ionophore, ionomycin, induced
chondrogenesis through activation of calcineurin. The calcineurin substrate, NFAT4, also
induced chondrogenesis and chondrocyte gene expression. Significantly, the BMP …