The condylar cartilage was adapted to hypoxic conditionsin vivo. However, condylar cartilage cells exposedin normoxiain vitroaffect the chondrocyte phenotype and cartilage matrix formation. This condition also resulted in greatdifficulty in chondrocyte research. Culturing chondrocyte should be simulated inin vivohypoxia environment as much aspossible. The hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) demonstrates an important transcription factor of adaptive response tohypoxic conditions. HIF-1α also plays an active role in maintaining homeostasis and function of chondrocytes. This reviewsummarized current knowledge of the HIF-1α structure, signaling pathway, and mechanism of HIF-1α in the condylar cartilagerepair.
