SNORC (Small NOvel Rich in Cartilage) is a chondrocyte-specific, type I transmembrane chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan that plays a critical role in maintaining chondrocyte differentiation and cartilage homeostasis. Biochemically, SNORC is a 121 amino acid protein with an extracellular domain containing chondroitin sulfate attachment sites and a cytoplasmic tail with phosphorylation motifs 1. Its expression is specifically regulated by SOX9 binding to a conserved intronic enhancer element, driving tissue-specific transcription in differentiating and articular chondrocytes while excluding the hypertrophic zone 2. SNORC expression parallels other chondrocyte differentiation markers (Col2a1, Acan) and is upregulated by BMP-2 during experimental chondrogenesis 13. In osteoarthritis pathology, SNORC expression is maintained in chondrocyte clusters within damaged cartilage 1. Therapeutically, estrogen receptor modulators and phytoestrogens increase SNORC expression alongside other differentiated chondrocyte markers (Col2a1, Acan) while suppressing hypertrophic and dedifferentiated markers (Col1a1, Col10a1) in osteoarthritic chondrocytes 4. These findings suggest SNORC serves as a reliable biomarker of chondrocyte phenotype maintenance and may be relevant for developing cartilage repair and osteoarthritis interventions.