Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41555072›Full record

ReviewNature protocols2026

Isolation, purification and characterization of lipocartilage in mice.

Raul Ramos, Ruiqi Liu, Jung Min Park, Rachel C Nordberg, Benjamin J Bielajew, Jerry C Hu, Bhaval Parmar, Martín I García-Castro, Kyriacos A Athanasiou, Maksim V Plikus

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Nature protocols, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Raul RamosDepartment of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
Ruiqi LiuDepartment of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
Jung Min ParkDepartment of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
Rachel C NordbergDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
Benjamin J BielajewDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0580-9864
Jerry C HuDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0651-1461
Bhaval ParmarDivision of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
Martín I García-CastroDivision of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
Kyriacos A AthanasiouDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
Maksim V PlikusDepartment of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA. plikus@uci.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8845-2559

Funding

W. M. Keck Foundation (W.M. Keck Foundation) WMKF-5634988
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cartilage is an essential component of the vertebrate skeleton, providing biomechanical support via its extracellular matrix composition. However, in many mammals, including humans and mice, numerous head, neck and chest cartilages produce little extracellular matrix and, instead, contain many large intracellular lipid vacuoles, which determine tissue size, shape and biomechanics. Such cartilages, termed lipocartilages, are made of individual cells called lipochondrocytes with distinct gene expression, lipid composition and metabolism. Lipochondrocytes significantly influence tissue-level physiology, regenerative potential and aging of skeletal elements. Here we provide a step-by-step protocol for the isolation of lipocartilage from mouse ear and the purification of its lipochondrocytes. We include instructions on how to microdissect ear lipocartilage for the purposes of lipid staining, wholemount imaging, morphometric analyses and biomechanical assays. Furthermore, we include a guide for the efficient dissociation of lipocartilages and the purification of individual lipochondrocytes by means of lipid-based buoyancy or cell sorting following fluorescent staining with neutral lipid dyes. With adequate dissection tools and sufficient practice, a researcher can cleanly isolate mouse ear lipocartilage within 20 min and purify lipochondrocytes within 4 h. Tissue biomechanics can be assayed by tensile testing within 30 min per sample. Although the protocol has only been validated in mice, it might be possible to adapt it for larger mammals, but modifications would probably be necessary, as lipocartilage is thicker. These guidelines will serve as a standard for future experiments on lipocartilage and have applications in the fields of developmental biology, bioengineering and metabolism.

Indexed as

CartilageCell SeparationEar CartilageAnimalsMiceMicrodissection

Identifiers

PMID41555072

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.