Specification of progenitors into the osteoblast lineage is an essential event for
skeletogenesis. During endochondral ossification, cells in the perichondrium give rise to
osteoblast precursors. Hedgehog (Hh) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) are
suggested to regulate the commitment of these cells. However, properties of perichondrial
cells and regulatory mechanisms of the specification process are still poorly understood.
Here, we investigated the machineries by combining a novel organ culture system and …