Mechanisms of bone growth
How do cells know whether they should grow the hyaline cartilage?


Both growth factors and cytokines are involved but the trigger mechanism is unclear [1].

Bones grow in length at the level of epiphyseal plate where chondrocytes produce hyaline cartilage which by addition of calcium and phosphorus ions turns into hard bone [2].

It is believed that the growth process is under the regulation of local mediators like cytokines and growth factors:


  In recent years, a large number of cytokines have been discovered and their molecular structures and biological activities described. A surprisingly large number of cytokines have been shown to affect skeletal tissues, at least experimentally, making this a complex topic, but one which is furthering knowledge of how the cellular events of bone growth may be so precisely regulated [3].




References


Ossification. (2014, July 3). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 15:47, September 30, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ossification&amp;oldid=615387908
http://www.personal.psu.edu/staff/m/b/mbt102/bisci4online/bone/bone5.htm
J.S. Price, B.O. Oyajobi and R.G.G. Russell. The cell biology of bone growth. Available from http://archive.unu.edu/unupress/food2/UID06E/UID06E0U.HTM