Chondrocyták

Chondrocyták, the Hungarian term for chondrocytes, are the primary cellular inhabitants of cartilage. They reside in spaces called lacunae within the extracellular matrix (ECM) and are responsible for producing and maintaining the cartilaginous tissue. Chondrocyták originate from mesenchymal stem cells that differentiate into chondroblasts, which secrete cartilage matrix and become embedded as mature chondrocyták.

The ECM of cartilage is rich in type II collagen and proteoglycans such as aggrecan, generating a hydrated, resilient framework. Cartilage is avascular, aneural, and largely aneogenic, so chondrocyták obtain nutrients through diffusion from surrounding tissue fluids or, in developing tissue, from the perichondrium. The pericellular matrix surrounding each chondrocyták plays a role in mechanotransduction and signaling.

Chondrocyták perform their function by balancing synthesis and degradation of ECM components. They respond to mechanical cues, cytokines, and growth factors to regulate matrix production, maintain tissue integrity, and adapt to loading conditions. In developing cartilage, chondrocyták contribute to endochondral ossification, where growth plate chondrocytes proliferate, mature (hypertrophy), and are replaced by bone. In mature articular cartilage, turnover is slow, and chondrocyták sustain matrix homeostasis with limited proliferation.

Types of cartilage include hyaline, fibrocartilage, and elastic cartilage, each with distinct ECM compositions and mechanical roles, but all rely on chondrocyták for maintenance. Clinically, chondrocyták are central to diseases such as osteoarthritis and chondrodysplasias. Therapeutic approaches, including autologous chondrocyte implantation and tissue engineering, aim to restore or replace damaged cartilage by harnessing the biology of these cells.