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Updated: Sep 19, 2026
A 3D System for Culturing Human Articular Chondrocytes in Synovial Fluid
Published on: January 31, 2012
Effects of leptin to cultured growth plate chondrocytes
Ryoichi Nakajima1, Hiroshi Inada, Tatsuya Koike
1Department of Pediatrics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. ryoichi@msic.med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
Objective:
This study aimed to evaluate whether leptin has any effect on growth plate chondrocytes.
Methods:
We studied the effects of exogenous leptin on cultured rabbit growth plate chondrocytes. This involved assessing [3H]thymidine incorporation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, proteoglycan production, leptin receptor (Ob-R) activity, and detection of Ob-R using Western blot analysis.
Results:
The existence of Ob-R in growth plate chondrocytes was revealed by Western blot and Ob-R activity. Prior to semiconfluence, leptin increased [3H]thymidine incorporation while at the semiconfluent and early confluent stages, leptin promoted ALP activity and tended to promote proteoglycan production.
Conclusion:
Growth plate chondrocytes possess Ob-Rs, and leptin enhance chondrocyte proliferation and subsequent cell differentiation.
