Quantitative Histology of Cartilage Cell Columns in the Human Costochondral Junction: Findings in Newborn and Pediatric Subjects

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Abstract
The mean number of cells per cartilage column and the proportion of hypertrophic and proliferative chondrocytes per column were determined in the costochondral junction in a population of normal subjects including 10 fetal-newborns and 15 subjects aged 0.3-16 y of age. Both the mean number of cells per column and the proportion of proliferative cells per column were significantly greater in the fetal-newborn population compared to the pediatric population (12.6 ± 1.0 (10) versus 8.4 ± 0.4 (15), p<0.001 and 39.6 ± 6.9 (10) versus 24.4 ± 2.5 (15), p=0.025, respectively) (mean ± sem [n]). The number of cells per column bore a significant negative relationship to subject age (r=—0.52, p=0.007). Significant positive correlations were found between the mean number of cells per column and age-specific growth velocity both in males (length-height velocity=[(6.3) (mean number of cells) — 44.1], r=0.72, p=0.02) and in females (length-height velocity=[(3.4 (mean number of cells) — 14.4], r=0.77, p=0.006). These data will provide normative values against which abnormalities characteristic of the skeletal dysplasias can be compared.