Ellis-van Creveld (EvC) syndrome is an autosomal recessive chondrodysplasia characterized by short limbs, postaxial polydactyly, natal teeth, and dysplastic nails. The Ellis-van Creveld (EVC) gene, which is mutated in patients with EvC syndrome, has been identified by positional cloning. However, the physiological roles of the EVC gene have not been elucidated. Histopathological analyses of EvC syndrome have shown disturbed chondrocytic phenotypes during cartilage development. We therefore postulated that the EVC gene is a critical factor for chondrocytes during endochondral ossification. The present study focuses on the relationship between the Evc gene and chondrocytes, and examines Evc gene expression in the rat tibial growth plate at the mRNA and protein levels. Evc mRNA in tibial epiphyseal cartilage was expressed at postnatal day (P) 1, P28, and P56 by RT-PCR. Immunohistochemical analyses localized the Evc protein mainly in prehypertrophic and hypertrophic chondrocytes of the epiphyseal growth plate in the tibia during the embryonic and postnatal periods. Evc mRNA was also detected in prehypertrophic and hypertrophic chondrocytes by in situ hybridization. These results indicate that the Evc gene functions mainly in the prehypertrophic and hypertrophic chondrocytes of the epiphyseal growth plate. The data presented here are important for future studies of the underlying mechanism of chondrodysplasia in EvC syndrome. (C) 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.