This study is about preventing bony bridge formation in response to growth plate injury but could it potentially be used in healthy children to prevent growth plate fusion in them?
“The growth plate is cartilage tissue found at the end of long bones in children, responsible for longitudinal bone growth. Injuries to the growth plate cartilage often lead to unwanted bony repair, resulting in growth disturbances such as limb length discrepancy and angulation deformity in children. There is currently no clinical treatment that can fully repair an injured growth plate. Tissue engineering is promising for regeneration of growth plate. Adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction highlight the promising potential as tissue engineering therapy for inducing regeneration of injured growth plate and able to reduce the formation of bony repair that can lead to deformity and limb length discrepancy. Using an animal model of growth plate injury, bone bridge formation is evaluated after 28 days using Enzyme-linked Immunoassay, radiology, histopathology and Immunofloresence examination. Radiological analyses performed by evaluation of grey value using ImageJ software and diameter bone bridge measured from the end to end distance between uninjured growth plate evaluated by histopatology examination. Enzyme-linked Immunoassay and immunofloresence are used to evaluate chondrocyte and chondrogenic marker within the defect. The result shows in group with Adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction have a significant lower bone bridge formation compare to positive control group. This current study represents the first work that has utilized this animal model to investigate whether Adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction can be used to initiate regeneration at the injured growth plate.”
“gene expression for IGF-I, TGF-β1, and FGF-2 was significantly higher in SVF[Stromal Vascular Fraction] cells than in cultured ASC. Those growth factor has main role in chondrogenesis. The effects of each growth factor to mesenchymal stem cell in chondrogenesis process are TGF-β1 Increases proliferation and ECM production also downregulates collagen type 1 gene expression; IGF-I Stimulates cell proliferation, increases expression of ECM, additive effect when combined with TGF-β1; Increases Proteoglycan synthesis and increases cell proliferation”
Bony bar formation in growth plate fracture.
Intervention group.
“The AD-SVF group within the defect show regeneration occurred, demonstrated by accumulation of immature chondrocyte that characterized by poorly bordered cell, round nuclei (basophilic) and outside of lacuna (yellow arrow). Matrix of growth plate with HE stained shows grey pale colour”
It’s hard to say whether such a treatment or similar will be promising for normal teens to preserve the growth plate to potentially grow taller. I sent an email to Panji Sananta to ask such a question.
