Fig. 2

Axin2⁺ cells include a subset of chondroprogenitors in the growth plate. a–f Fate-mapping analysis of Axin2⁺ cells in the proximal tibial growth plate in Axin2Cre^ERT2;R26R^ZsGreen mice (pulsed on P23–25 and traced for several days). Representative images showing descendants of initially labeled Axin2⁺ cells at 3 (n = 8) (a), 7 (n = 8) (b), 10 (n = 8) (c) and 14 (n = 8) (d) days and at 2 (n = 7) (e) and 6 (n = 6) (f) months after tamoxifen injection. Arrowhead, short column (≤9 cells) (b); arrows, long column (≥10 cells) (c). g–i Quantification of ZsGreen⁺ cells in the top 50 μm (green line) (g), ZsGreen⁺ columns in the growth plate, short columns (≤9 cells, red line) and long columns (≥10 cells, blue line) (h), and percentage of ZsGreen⁺ cells among growth plate chondrocytes (blue bars) (i). P26–P51 (n = 8), P79 (n = 7), and P191 (n = 6). SOC secondary ossification center. The white dashed lines demarcate the growth plate from the surrounding tissues. Scale bars: 200 μm (a–f). All data are presented as the mean ± SD