[The treatment of premature arrest of growth plate with a novel engineered growth plate: experimental studies].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the role of the engineered growth plate (EGP) in the treatment of premature arrest of growth plate and to establish a novel treatment method for the premature arrest of the growth plate.


METHODS
The engineered growth plates were cultured for the first time by using polylactic acid (PLA) as cell scaffold seeded with growth plate chondrocytes and they were implanted into the medial proximal defects of growth plates of New Zealand rabbit tibia. The degree of deformity of the tibia was evaluated by X-ray and the expression of collagen II mRNA of regenerating growth plate was detected by in situ hybridization technique.


RESULTS
Little deformity appeared in the EGP group 8 weeks after operation. Some deformity was seen in the EGP group 16 weeks after operation, whereas it's degree was much less than that of the control group (P = 0.0001). The degree of the angular deformity of the EGP precultured with bFGF and TGF-beta group was less than that of the EGP group (P < 0.05). The cells in the regenerating growth plate arranged in column and were stained blue by in situ hybridization technique.


CONCLUSIONS
The EGP can prevent the formation of bony bridge and restore the growth of the damaged growth plate.
Zhou
Y
Y
General Hospital, Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100853, China.
Lu
S
S
Wang
J
J
Zhang
Y
Y
Huang
J
J
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006132:Growth Plate / Q000166:cytology* / Q000601:surgery; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008297:Male; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D011817:Rabbits; D000072042:Salter-Harris Fractures; D023822:Tissue Engineering
D024043:Collagen Type II; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide)