Histological and Transcriptional Profiling Reveals Chondro-Osteogenic Trans-differentiation in Meniscal Mineralisation of the Domestic Cat (Felis catus) | ||
| Journal of Applied Veterinary Sciences | ||
| Articles in Press, Corrected Proof, Available Online from 10 October 2025 PDF (373.49 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/javs.2025.416539.1717 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Nur Izzati Inani Zabiddin1; Md Zuki Abu Bakar2; Mohd Akmal Mohd Noor2; Mohd Faizal Ghazali3; Chai Min Hian3; Siti Mariam Zainal Ariffin* 1 | ||
| 1Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia | ||
| 2Department of Veterinary Preclinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia | ||
| 3Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 22200, Besut, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Meniscal mineralisation is commonly observed in domestic cats. However, its biological significance and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to characterise the histomorphological features of meniscal mineralisation and evaluate the mRNA expression of key chondro-osteogenic trans-differentiation markers in the feline meniscus. A total of 20 menisci (10 mineralised and 10 non-mineralised) were collected from skeletally mature domestic cats with disease-free joints following gross examination, during which meniscal mineralisation was identified. Both mineralised and non-mineralised menisci were collected for subsequent histological and molecular evaluation. Histological examination with H&E and Alizarin Red staining revealed that mineralisation was confined to the cranial horn of the medial meniscus, with most mineralised tissues displaying chondro-osseous metaplasia. The mean area of the mineralised regions was 276.9 ± 227.9 mm². Only one sample exhibited intrameniscal ossification, characterised by trabecular bone and bone marrow spaces. The lateral menisci showed no evidence of mineralisation. Cellular density was not significantly different between groups (p=0.232). Quantitative PCR analysis revealed significantly increased expression of mRNA for COL10A1, MMP-13, TNAP, RunX2, and Sox9 in mineralised menisci compared to controls (p<0.001), with COL10A1 and MMP-13 showing 9- to 7-fold increases, respectively. These genes were associated with hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation, extracellular matrix remodelling and mineral deposition, indicating an active chondro-osteogenic trans-differentiation process. Collectively, the findings provide novel evidence that a chondro-osteogenic trans-differentiation pathway drives meniscal mineralisation in the domestic cat. This study enhances the understanding of meniscal biology in felines and may offer insights into joint mineralisation processes across species. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Chondro-osteogenictrans-differentiation; Feline; Histology; Meniscal mineralisation; Stifle joint | ||
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