Collagen abnormalities and endoplasmic reticulum stress in bone and cartilage

: There are many steps in the post-translational modification of collagen molecules. When abnormality occurs in some step, the unfolded collagen molecules are accumulated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) , leading to ER stress. ER stress also occurs downstream of the defective modification of collagen in bone and cartilage. ER stress-induced apoptosis or ER stress response without inducing apoptosis may be associated with the pathogenesis of genetic collagen disorders in bone and cartilage.