Chondroprotective role of the osmotically sensitive ion channel transient receptor potential vanilloid 4: Age‐ and sex‐dependent progression of osteoarthritis in <i>Trpv4</i>‐deficient mice

Abstract

Deletion of Trpv4 leads to a lack of osmotically induced Ca(++) signaling in articular chondrocytes, accompanied by progressive, sex-dependent increases in bone density and osteoarthritic joint degeneration. These findings suggest a critical role for TRPV4-mediated Ca(++) signaling in the maintenance of joint health and normal skeletal structure.