The chondrocyte and its pericellular microenvironment together
represent the chondron, historically
considered the primary structural, functional and metabolic unit of
articular and other hyaline cartilages.
This review summarises research over the last 10 years to establish the
molecular anatomy, functional
properties and metabolic contribution of the chondron in articular
cartilage homeostasis, and its failure
during the initiation and progression of degenerative osteoarthritis.