title: Structural and functional maturation of distal femoral cartilage and bone during postnatal development and growth in humans and mice.
abstract: The size and shape of joints markedly affect their biomechanical properties, but the macroscopic 3-dimensional (3-D) mechanism and extent of cartilage and joint maturation during normal growth are largely unknown. This study qualitatively illustrates the development of the bone-cartilage interface in the knee during postnatal growth in humans and C57BL/6 wild-type mice, quantitatively defines the 3-D shape using statistical shape modeling, and assesses growth strain rates in the mouse distal femur. Accurate quantification of the cartilage-bone interface geometry is imperative for furthering the understanding of the macroscopic mechanisms of cartilage maturation and overall joint development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0412, USA.
authors.forename: Elaine F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Ricky
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harjanto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asahara
authors.forename: Nozomu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Bugbee
authors.forename: Gary S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Firestein
authors.forename: Harish S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Hosalkar
authors.forename: Martin K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lotz
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Sah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D023421:Models, Animal; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013045:Species Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods