Blocking mechanosensitive ion channels eliminates the effects of applied mechanical loading on chick joint morphogenesis

Abnormalities in joint shape are increasingly considered a critical risk factor for developing osteoarthritis in life. It has been shown that mechanical forces during prenatal development, particularly those due to fetal movements, play a fundamental role in joint morphogenesis. However, how mechanical stimuli are sensed or transduced in developing joint tissues is unclear. Stretch-activated and voltage-gated calcium ion channels have been shown to be involved in the mechanoregulation of chondrocytes in vitro. In this study, we analyse, for the first time, how blocking these ion channels influences the effects of mechanical loading on chick joint morphogenesis. Using in vitro culture of embryonic chick hindlimb explants in a mechanostimulation bioreactor, we block stretch-activated and voltage-gated ion channels using, respectively, gadolinium chloride and nifedipine. We find that the administration of high doses of either drug largely removed the effects of mechanical stimulation on growth and shape development in vitro, while neither drug had any effect in static cultures. This study demonstrates that, during joint morphogenesis, mechanical cues are transduced—at least in part—through mechanosensitive calcium ion channels, advancing our understanding of cartilage development and mechanotransduction. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Mechanics of development’.