Abstract
Longitudinal bone growth is the results of chondrocyte proliferation and hypertrophy and subsequent endochondral ossification in the growth plate. Recently, laser acupuncture (LA), an intervention to stimulate acupoint with low-level laser irradiation, has been suggested as an intervention to improve the longitudinal bone growth. This study investigated the effects of laser acupuncture on growth, particularly longitudinal bone growth in adolescent male rats. Laser acupuncture was performed once every other day for a total of 9 treatments over 18 days to adolescent male rats. Morphometry of the growth plate, longitudinal bone growth rate, and the protein expression of BMP-2 and IGF-1 in growth plate were observed. The bone growth rate and the heights of growth plates were significantly increased by laser acupuncture. BMP-2 but not IGF-1 immunostaining in growth plate was increased as well. In conclusion, LA promotes longitudinal bone growth in adolescent rats, suggesting that laser acupuncture may be a promising intervention for improving the growth potential for children and adolescents.
Highlights
Short stature in childhood and adulthood is one important concern
An improvement in the height is significantly associated with the bone growth in length
Bone growth in the length occurs at the growth plate by endochondral ossification, a two-step process in which cartilage is first formed and remodeled into hard calcified bone [2, 3]
Summary
Short stature in childhood and adulthood is one important concern. Most of people desire to get taller due to the thought that long height may help to improve the physical appearance and attractive personality or that to be unusually short may have social disadvantages. Short stature (height) is one of major causes of concern and anxiety to children, adolescents, and parents [1]. For this reason, interest in the growth promotion in childhood and adolescent periods is increasing. The growth plates are composed of three functionally and structurally distinct layers: the resting, the proliferative, and the hypertrophic zones. At this site, growth plate chondrocytes proliferate, differentiate into mature hypertrophic cells, synthesize the typical extracellular matrix, and form cartilage. The newly formed cartilage is calcified and converted into hard bone, resulting in bone elongation [4]
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