A Quantitative and Qualitative Growth Plate Description — A Simple Framework for Chondrocytes Columnar Arrangement Evaluation

Abstract

The growth plate is a cartilaginous structure located in the metaphysis of long bones, characterized histologically by its stratification and columnar arrangement. It is responsible for assuring longitudinal growth. Evaluation of growth plate histological characteristics has been traditionally performed using qualitative observation; however, some quantitative approaches have been reported using complex techniques. Here, we propose a simple quantitative images based analysis in order to evaluate objectively columnar arrangement within growth plate. For this, we defined six descriptors that were condensated in a geometric tensor. This tensor could be used as a single parameter to evaluate the growth plate organization. Validation of the tensor was performed with growth plate microphotographs of three healthy species (rat, pig and rabbit) and an abnormal one (Csf1tl/Csf1tl rat) found in specialized literature. According to our results, the descriptors and the tensor give a complete picture of the organization of the growth plate, reflecting the expected stratification and columnar arrangement of the cells within the tissue. This methodology could be a reliable tool for evaluation of growth plate structure for research and diagnostic purposes, taking into account that it can be easily implemented.

Growth Plate Pathology in the Mucopolysaccharidosis Type VI Rat Model—An Experimental and Computational Approach

“…In addition, a quantitative description of growth plate columnar organization in proliferative, pre-hypertrophic, and hypertrophic zones in wild type and MPS VI animals was performed, as previously described [25]. Grid-based cell quantifications of the zones were performed on 20× magnified images ( Figure 1B).…”

“…Grid-based cell quantifications of the zones were performed on 20× magnified images ( Figure 1B). At least 3 images per individual (1 image × 3 independent sections) were analyzed, in which four parameters were taken into account: cellular density (C), defined as the total number of cells within a grid field (cells are included if more than 90% of the area is within the field); column density (CD), corresponding to the total number of columns within a grid field; density of isolated cells (CI), defined as the number of cells within a field that do not belong to a column; and column orientation (α), which represents the angle formed between the line that connects the geometrical centers of each cell within the column (which is the column axis) and the reference axis corresponding to the ossification front ( Figure 1C) [25]. Since the parameter CI illustrates the quality of columnar arrangement within the growth plate, the results obtained for this parameter are reported as the proportion of isolated cells among the total cell within a field (CI/C).…”

The effect of electric fields on hyaline cartilage: an in vitro and in silico study

“…For the statistical studies, all analyses were performed with mean ± SD (n= 3) according to the protocol described by [304]. Both a one-way ANOVA, and a Least Significant Difference (LSD) -Fisher post-test were carried out to analyze the histomorphometric parameters of the growth plate.…”

“…This finding is relevant since EFs demonstrated to have influence over the pre-hypertrophy. This is an important event that plays a pivotal role, as it is responsible of the 70% of total longitudinal bone growth, in the initiation of the matrix mineralization, and in the promotion of tissue vascularization [303]. Although the mechanisms by which capacitively coupled EFs stimulate chondrocytes differentiation are not yet known, the observed effects in the immunohistochemistry staining evidenced that chondrocytes experience a pre-hypertrophic process at the location of the secondary ossification center ( Figure 6-10B and Figure 6-10C).…”

“…Considering the protocols described by [303] to analyze growth plates, some histomorphometric parameters were measured to quantify the size of P-z, PH-z and Ht-z, the total length of the epiphyseal plate, and the columnar organization in each growth plate zone ( Figure 6-3A). For measuring zonal size (P-z, PH-z and Ht-z), the different zones were delimited manually in 10X-magnification images according to cell morphology.…”