...................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ v TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................ viii LIST OF TABLES ..........................

Recent advances in molecular biology have greatly helped in understanding the mechanisms involved in normal skeletal morphogenesis. Multiple genes involved in normal skeletal development have been identified, but several others still await discovery. Mutations in these genes are often responsible for the congenital skeletal malformations that we see in the orthopedic clinics. In this overview w...

The fibroblast growth factor receptor family consists of four receptor tyrosine kinases which bind with varying affinity and specificity to a family of at least fifteen polypeptide ligands. The receptors and ligands perform many essential functions during growth, development and repair. Recent discoveries show that a growing number of skeletal abnormalities result from mutations in the fibrobla...

these genes prevents development of skeletal muscle and mouse pups are born with a skeleton that lacks many of the features seen normally. Bones are straight instead of curved, and lack either the narrowing of the mid-shaft of the cortex or the flaring of the metaphyses seen in WT controls. Even more striking is the absence of the traction epiphyses, proving Julius Wolff’s assertion over 100 ye...

Hylonome dimensional relationships change little 2,3. Concomitant with the increase in bone size, the internal structure is modified. The average thickness of trabeculae in the proximal femoral metaphysis increases by about a third during the second half of gestation 4. Cortical thickness at the femoral midshaft approximately doubles during the same period 2. Histomorphometric studies of rib an...