Title
Secondary ossification center induces and protects growth plate structure
Author
Pavel Gol'din
Department of Evolutionary Morphology, Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of NAS of Ukraine
Anna Nele Herdina
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet
... show all
Abstract
Growth plate and articular cartilage constitute a single anatomical entity early in development but later separate into two distinct structures by the secondary ossification center (SOC). The reason for such separation remains unknown. We found that evolutionarily SOC appears in animals conquering the land - amniotes. Analysis of the ossification pattern in mammals with specialized extremities (whales, bats, jerboa) revealed that SOC development correlates with the extent of mechanical loads. Mathematical modeling revealed that SOC reduces mechanical stress within the growth plate. Functional experiments revealed the high vulnerability of hypertrophic chondrocytes to mechanical stress and showed that SOC protects these cells from apoptosis caused by extensive loading. Atomic force microscopy showed that hypertrophic chondrocytes are the least mechanically stiff cells within the growth plate. Altogether, these findings suggest that SOC has evolved to protect the hypertrophic chondrocytes from the high mechanical stress encountered in the terrestrial environment.
Keywords
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular BiologyGeneral Immunology and MicrobiologyGeneral NeuroscienceGeneral Medicine
Object type
Language
English [eng]
Persistent identifier
phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:1231688
Appeared in
Title
eLife
Volume
9
ISSN
2050-084X
Issued
2020
Publication
eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Version type
Date issued
2020
Access rights
Rights
Rights statement
© 2020, Xie et al
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