[The effect of osteogenic protein 1 (bone morphogenetic protein 7) on growth in long bones in rats].

Osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1; BMP-7) is a member of the bone morphogenetic protein subfamily. Since members of the TGF-beta superfamily have a role in tissue development, the influence of OP-1 on the growth of long bones in rats was examined. OP-1 was administered intraperitoneally during the fourteen days of experiment. Animals were double labeled with fluorescent bone markers seven and two days before the sacrifice. Femora were extracted and examined under UV light microscope to determine bone volume, trabecular appositional growth, growth rate and growth plate thickness. OP-1 was found to decrease trabecular appositional growth and the growth plate thickness without influencing the total bone volume.