Cartilage and Bone Development and Its Disorders

In systemic childhood diseases, including cancer, gastrointestinal, pulmonary and cardiac disorders, childhood growth is severely impaired. In addition, almost 400 known genetic diseases inhibit the ability of the growth plate to form new bone, leaving affected children with growth failure and bony deformities which can severely impact their quality of life and may lead to morbidity and early mortality. This book provides a comprehensive review of bone and cartilage development, growth and disease. Focusing on novel treatment strategies, regulatory signals and molecular mechanisms are discussed in relation to the diseases affecting them. Furthermore, novel methodologies in bone and cartilage research based on recent advances in skeletal stem cell biology, cartilage tissue engineering and allele-specific gene silencing is covered. Providing insight into the basic mechanisms of bone growth, structure and metabolism, research methodology, as well as discussing the clinical management of related diseases, this book is of particular value to physicians with a special interest in bone and cartilage biology; in particular endocrinologists and pediatric endocrinologists that see patients with growth disorders, osteoporosis, osteogenesis imperfecta, and skeletal dysplasias.