Annexins - their role in cartilage mineralization.

Annexins II, V and VI are highly expressed by hypertrophic and terminally differentiated growth plate chondrocytes and by osteoblasts. Because of the localization of annexins in areas of cartilage and bone mineralization, we hypothesized that these annexins play a regulatory role in the mineralization process. In this article we review the function of annexins II, V and VI in physiological mineralization of skeletal tissues and in pathological mineralization of articular cartilage.