Interesting study that explains why there are secondary ossification centers

Those who say that weightlifting stunts growth will have a field day with this one.  Small animals were used and if the loads mentioned in the study caused as much apoptosis then growth would be severly stunted by weight loading.  But if it indicated some cellular regeneration in regards to unplanned apoptosis due to mechanical that would be an amazing breakthrough.  We could trick the cells into thinking there was more apoptosis than there was and that would lead to overgrowth.

Secondary ossification centers evolved to make endochondral bone growth possible under the weight-bearing demands of a terrestrial environment

“The growth of long bones occurs in narrow discs of cartilage, called growth plates that provide a continuous supply of chondrocytes subsequently replaced by newly formed bone tissue. These growth plates are sandwiched between the bone shaft and a more distal bone structure called the secondary ossification center (SOC). We have recently shown that the SOC provides a stem cell niche that facilitates renewal of chondro-progenitrors and bone elongation. However, a number of vertebrate taxa, do not have SOCs, which poses intriguing questions about the evolution and primary function of this structure. Evolutionary analysis revealed that SOCs first appeared in amniotes[essentially egg laying reptiles, birds, and mammals] and we hypothesized that this might have been required to meet the novel mechanical demands placed on bones growing under weight-bearing conditions. Comparison of the limbs of mammals subjected to greater or lesser mechanical demands revealed that the presence of a SOC is associated with the extent of these demands. Mathematical modelling with experimental validation showed that the SOC reduces shear and normal stresses within the growth plate; while relevant biological tests revealed that the SOC allows growth plate chondrocytes to withstand a six-fold higher load before undergoing apoptosis{this provides evidence that too high a load could stunt growth}. Hypertrophic chondrocytes, the cells primarily responsible for bone elongation, were the most sensitive to loading, probably due to their low Young’s modulus (as determined by atomic force microscopy). Our present findings indicate that the primary function of the evolutionary delineation of epiphyseal cartilage into spatially separated growth plates was to protect hypertrophic chondrocytes from the pronounced mechanical stress associated with weight-bearing in a terrestrial environment.”

“hypertrophic chondrocytes undergo apoptosis or trans-differentiation, leaving their calcified extracellular matrix as a scaffold on which invading blood vessels and osteoblasts form new bone tissue.”<-interesting that the acknowledge the transdifferentiation theory.

“commonly to study bone growth (i.e., mice, rats and rabbits), the growth plate is separated from the articular cartilage by a bony fragment, the secondary ossification center (SOC). This skeletal element, formed during early postnatal development, splits the initially contiguous cartilaginous element into two independent structures, the growth plate and articular cartilage ”

“Growth plate chondrocytes appeared to be highly sensitive to load, with 40% dying upon application of a 1N load (as revealed by propidium iodide (PI) staining). At the same time, the SOC clearly protected these cells, allowing them to withstand a load an order of magnitude higher ”  An order of magnitude would be 10N

“directional compressive stress appears to be harmful to chondrocytes, especially hypertrophic chondrocytes”

15 thoughts on “Interesting study that explains why there are secondary ossification centers”

  1. hitnaker22

    Hey man I am about to turn 24 I watch this website since I was 21 …What is my best shot? what to try ? I need 5 cm … Thank you! please keep us updated…

  4. Garfyld

    Here’s the more information about biomaterial bone.
    1. Doctors applied artifical bones for 7 peoples who could lose a limb, so they prevented it.
    2. It started to work on it in 2004
    3. It’s built of Tricalcium phosphate
    4. Material is solid as rock when is dry
    5. But during operation you can form it as a plasteline
    6. It possible to insert into defect/loss
    7. This is very important: much harder but it can be replaced whole bone
    8. After few months bio-bone growhs together with natural bone
    9. Patient who used it now can run a marathons
    10. They gonna release it to buy in few months
    11. It can be soaked by antibiotics or drugs
    12. Publications: http://flexioss.pl/en/publications/

    More info tomorrow i hope

    I don’t observe medical businness, so let someone who know those topics give a review that

    1. Antonio

      Hi Garfyld! Thank you very much for this. Can I ask you what are the advantages of flexioss for shorter people? Do you think that limb lengthening would be much easier and pain-free with flexioss? Would bone healing be faster?

      1. Garfyld

        I supposed it will be, but i can’t make you sure because i’m poor in medical science, most info i’ve read and watched in tv, so only what is linked me with them is country

  5. Garfyld

    https://i.imgur.com/HiXV4VN.png
    I asked them if is it possible to use FlexiOss to lengthening or widthening. As far as they(= office) know there is possibility to do that, but they didn’t do research at that field. And if you gonna invest into it, they encourage you to contant with them

  6. Dorothée

    1.Filling bone defects up to 7 cm
    2.Cheap
    3.Safe (no rejection)
    4.Complicated to increase height a healthy bone

    2. Antonio

      We’re moving in the right direction but, if I understand correctly, we still need to break the bone to lengthen it. Will stem cells lengthen bones without needing to break them?

        1. Antonio

          I agree with you. We need new tools and I can’t believe in 2019 there isn’t yet a non brutal solution to short stature in adults.

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