Newly identified cells key to how children’s height growth

Researchers have mapped the molecular organization of the growth plate in the skeleton during puberty—the structure that determines adult height. This analysis identified two distinct stem cell populations that contribute to longitudinal bone growth and showed in human tissue samples that growth hormone affects them directly. The findings help us understand various growth abnormalities and may improve current treatments for children with growth disorders. 

Hidden stem cells in the growth plate 

The results suggest that dual stem cell organization may represent one quiescent stem cell type serving as a reserve population, while the other is more active and gives rise to new cartilage cells that later become bone. When tested in mice, quiescent stem cells have the capacity to self-renew and generate specialized cells in the skeleton. Together, the findings suggest that the interplay between quiescent and active cells is important for height growth. 

The researchers also found that growth hormone activates multiple signaling pathways in these cells and increases their proliferation while downregulating others. 

Nelson TL Chu, researcher at the University of Gothenburg and one of the study’s lead authors: 

“Our results show that growth hormone acts directly on the stem cells that are central to height growth. This may help us to develop more effective treatment strategies for children with short stature. Over time, it could also help identify which children are most likely to benefit from treatment and support the development of more targeted therapies,” says Nelson.  

Professor Andrei Chagin, the senior author of the study, adds: “This work was inspired by a seminal discovery made at the University of Gothenburg more than 40 years ago, demonstrating that growth hormone can directly stimulate growth in rats. We are proud to extend this finding to human physiology.”The researchers analyzed tissue from children during puberty and examined individual cells and their response to growth hormone in a laboratory setting. The study is published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. 

Article: A transcriptional atlas of the pubertal human growth plate reveals two populations of cartilage stem cells and direct effect of growth hormone on growth 
DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adw3590