关键词: 生长障碍, 生长板, 生长激素-胰岛素样生长因子轴, 细胞内信号, 旁分泌因子

Abstract: Growth plate，a cartilage tissue，is located between the epiphyses and diaphysis，and is composed of chondrocytes and extracellular matrix. Growth plate is the critical part of longitudinal growth of bones in cartilage. Recent findings have revealed that the GH-IGF-1 axis is just one of many regulatory systems that control chondrogenesis in the growth plate. Consequently，normal growth in children depends not only on GH and IGF-I but on multiple hormones，paracrine factors，extracellular matrix molecules，and intracellular proteins that regulate growth plate chondrocytes. Linear bone growth results from co-action of chondrocyte proliferation，hypertrophy and extracellular matrix secretion，and is perfectly coordinated by macro-scale regulating factors（mechanical stress，age，et al.）and micro-scale regulating factors（local paracrine，endocrine factors，extracellular matrix，et al.）. Damaged structure and function of the growth plate due to abnormal regulation is related to growth disorders in children. 

Key words: growth disorder, growth plate, growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor axis, intracellular pathway, paracrine factor