Functional estrogen receptors in adult articular cartilage: Estrogen replacement therapy increases chondrocyte synthesis of proteoglycans and insulin‐like growth factor binding protein 2

Abstract

Transcriptionally functional ER are present in adult articular cartilage, and ERT increases the production of IGFBP-2 and the synthesis of PGs by chondrocytes from surgically menopausal monkeys. These results indicate that estrogen can have a direct effect on adult articular cartilage.