Analysis of osteoarthritis: skeletal dysplasia due to type IIcollagen deficiency as a model

Czech dysplasia, showing early-onset osteoarthritis, is a skeletal dysplasia caused by a specific Arg275Cys mutation of the type II collagen. In order to investigate the pathomechanisms of osteoarthritis, focusing on the metabolism of type II collagen molecule and supramolecular structure of the collagen matrix, the principal investigator generated transgenic mice bearing type II collagen with Arg275Cys mutation overexpressed by the mouse type II collagen gene promoter and enhancer. Two independent inbred lines of transgenic mice were established.