ArticleCartilage
Sexual Dimorphism in the Extracellular and Pericellular Matrix of Articular Cartilage.
Article in Cartilage. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- A Thematic Narrative Review of Osteoarthritis Risk Factors Across the Female Life Course.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Protein Response to ACL Injury in Humans Show Early Cartilage Remodeling and Differences by Sex.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Computational translation of mouse models of osteoarthritis predicts human disease.Osteoarthritis and cartilage · 2026Article
- Nanoparticles reveal permanent and reversible changes to lymph node biomechanics during inflammatory response.Biomaterials · 2026Article
- Mechanoepigenetics in musculoskeletal disease.Osteoarthritis and cartilage · 2026Review
- Osteoarthritis as a systemic disease.Nature reviews. Rheumatology · 2026Review
- Nanoparticles reveal permanent and reversible changes to lymph node biomechanics during inflammatory response.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025Article
- Sex-stratified osteochondral organ-on-chip model reveals sex-specific responses to inflammatory stimulation.Materials today. Bio · 2025Article
- Exploring the role of directly coupled alternating electric fields on chondrocyte morphology and redifferentiation capacity with a focus on sex differences.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2025Article
- Developing sex-accurate cell culture environments.Nature reviews bioengineering · 2025Article
- Mechanosensitive miRNAs in Cartilage and Subchondral Bone Remodeling: Emerging Targets for Osteoarthritis Therapy.Journal of inflammation research · 2025Review
- Extracellular Matrix Dynamics as an Emerging yet Understudied Hallmark of Aging and Longevity.Aging and disease · 2023Review
- Sex-dependent variation in cartilage adaptation: from degeneration to regeneration.Biology of sex differences · 2023Review
- Mechanotransduction pathways in articular chondrocytes and the emerging role of estrogen receptor-α.Bone research · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveWomen have a higher prevalence and burden of joint injuries and pathologies involving articular cartilage than men. Although knee injuries affecting young women are on the rise, most studies related to sexual dimorphism target postmenopausal women. We hypothesize that sexual dimorphism in cartilage structure and mechanics is present before menopause, which can contribute to sex disparities in cartilage pathologies.
designBovine knee was used as a model to study healthy adult cartilage. We compared elastic moduli under compression, abundances of extracellular and pericellular matrix (PCM) proteins using proteomics, and PCM constituency with tissue immunofluorescence. The gene expression of matrix-related genes under basal, anabolic, and catabolic conditions was assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).
resultsThe equilibrium modulus was higher in male cartilage compared with female cartilage. Proteoglycans were not associated with this biomechanical dimorphism. Proteomic and pathway analyses of tissue showed dimorphic enriched pathways in extracellular matrix (ECM)-related proteins in which male cartilage was enriched in matrix interconnectors and crosslinkers that strengthen the ECM network. Moreover, male and female tissue differed in enriched PCM components. Females had more abundance of collagen type VI and decorin, suggesting different PCM mechanics. Furthermore, the activation of regenerative and catabolic function in chondrocytes triggered sex-dependent signatures in gene expression, indicating dimorphic genetic regulation that is dependent on stimulation.
conclusionsWe provide evidence for sexual dimorphism in cartilage before menopause. Some differences are intrinsic to chondrocytes' gene expression defined by their XX versus XY chromosomal constituency.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.