Chondrocytes are the uniquely resident cells found in all types of cartilage and key to their function is the ability to respond to mechanical loads with changes of metabolic activity. This mechanotransduction property is, in part, mediated through the activity of a range of expressed transmembrane channels; ion channels, gap junction proteins, and porins. Appropriate expression of ion channels has been shown essential for production of extracellular matrix and differential expression of transmembrane channels is correlated to musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis and Albers-Schönberg. In this study we analyzed the consistency of gene expression between channelomes of chondrocytes from human articular and costal (teenage and fetal origin) cartilages. Notably, we found 14 ion channel genes commonly expressed between articular and both types of costal cartilage chondrocytes. There were several other ion channel genes expressed only in articular (6 genes) or costal chondrocytes (5 genes). Significant differences in expression of BEST1 and KCNJ2 (Kir2.1) were observed between fetal and teenage costal cartilage. Interestingly, the large Ca²⁺ activated potassium channel (BKα, or KCNMA1) was very highly expressed in all chondrocytes examined. Expression of the gap junction genes for Panx1, GJA1 (Cx43) and GJC1 (Cx45) was also observed in chondrocytes from all cartilage samples. Together, this data highlights similarities between chondrocyte membrane channel gene expressions in cells derived from different anatomical sites, and may imply that common electrophysiological signaling pathways underlie cellular control. The high expression of a range of mechanically and metabolically sensitive membrane channels suggest that chondrocyte mechanotransduction may be more complex than previously thought.

软骨细胞是在所有类型的软骨中发现的唯一驻留细胞，其功能的关键是通过代谢活性的变化对机械负荷做出反应的能力。这种机械转导特性部分地是通过一系列表达的跨膜通道的活性来介导的。离子通道，间隙连接蛋白和孔蛋白。已经显示离子通道的适当表达对于细胞外基质的产生是必不可少的，跨膜通道的差异表达与肌肉骨骼疾病例如骨关节炎和Albers-Schönberg有关。在这项研究中，我们分析了人类关节软骨和肋软骨（青少年和胎儿起源）的软骨细胞通道组之间基因表达的一致性。尤其，我们发现14种离子通道基因通常在关节型和两种类型的肋软骨软骨细胞之间表达。还有其他几个离子通道基因仅在关节（6个基因）或肋软骨细胞（5个基因）中表达。表达的显着差异在胎儿和青少年肋软骨之间观察到BEST1和KCNJ2（Kir2.1）。有趣的是，大的Ca ²⁺激活的钾离子通道（BKα或KCNMA1）在所有检查的软骨细胞中都高度表达。Panx1，GJA1（Cx43）和GJC1的间隙连接基因的表达在所有软骨样品的软骨细胞中也观察到了Cx45（Cx45）。总之，该数据突显了来自不同解剖部位的细胞中软骨细胞膜通道基因表达之间的相似性，并且可能暗示了常见的电生理信号通路是细胞控制的基础。一系列机械和代谢敏感的膜通道的高表达表明软骨细胞的机械转导可能比以前认为的要复杂。