RNA profiling in Chondro-Osseous region

Bone formation in mammals begins in the embryo and continues throughout life, thus requiring continuous production of osteoblasts. Although osteoblast differentiation is extensively studied, the upstream mesenchymal progenitors are not well understood. Here, by lineage-tracing Hedgehog (Hh)-responsive cells expressing Gli1 in fetal or postnatal mice, we discover that Gli1+ cells progressively produce osteoblasts in all skeletal sites examined. Most notably, in postnatal growing mice, a pool of Gli1+ cells residing immediately below the growth plate, which we term “metaphyseal mesenchymal progenitors” (MMP), is essential for cancellous bone formation in endochondral bones. This sequencing data will provide the RNA profiling information to identify MMP cells.