[Mechanism of bone and cartilage growth during childhood and growth disorders].

Longitudinal growth of bone depends on the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes located in growth plate. Recent advances in understanding the process of chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation reveal the local and systemic factors responsible for the process. SOX9, Ihh and FGFR3 are the former, growth hormone and thyroid hormone the latter. Achondroplasia, a representative entity of skeletal dysplasia is caused by the abnormality of FGFR3 and exhibits short stature. Hypofunction of growth hormone and thyroid hormone are associated with short stature as well.