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Obesity and Diabetes Affects Growth Plate Cartilage Histomorphometry

Childhood obesity and diabetes are strongly associated with decreased stature and poor bone health in adulthood. Similarly, ob/ob mice that have a leptin gene mutation causing it to overeat and develop the type 2 diabetes mellitus phenotype exhibit significantly reduced limb bone length and fracture resistance. In previous studies, we found decreased growth plate cartilage thickness in conjunction with increased bone fracture risk in obese diabetic mice in comparison with lean counterparts. Here, we use confocal laser scanning microscopy with post‐capture thresholding to assess 3D histological differences in z‐stacks of proximal tibia growth plate cartilage 80–100 μm in depth in juvenile lean and ob/ob mice. We find lean mice have significantly greater numbers of chondrocyte columns in growth plate cartilage with greater chondrocyte cell volumes in comparison with obese diabetic mice (P < 0.05). These data explicate the role of growth plate cartilage in bone health of obese diabetic juveniles. Our findings suggest obesity and diabetes may impair growth plate cartilage development by adversely affecting chondrocyte proliferation and hypertrophy.