Chondrocyte deformation measured as change in cell height at two locations in the chondron for an overall axial compressive strain of 20%.

<p>(A) Cellular strains vary differently within each chondron depending on the location of the chondron. Within interior chondrons compressive axial cell strains peaked at the transition from reserve to proliferative zone where cell division occurs. Chondrons located close to the free surface (300 μm from the surface) of the growth plate experienced a reverse strain pattern with peak compressive strains occurring in the hypertrophic zone where no cell division occurs, but where cell size increases 10-fold. (B) Contour plot of the logarithmic strain (LE) at the chondron scale in the y-direction at two locations, at the center (P4) and at 300 μm from the edge (P3). The contour plot is obtained by extrapolating the integration point values to the nodes and then averaging.