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There are further references in this study on rabbits.

Cartilage growth and metabolism from embryogenesis to adulthood are all regulated by certain specific hormonal factors. Growth hormone (GH) is known to be involved in various growth processes since it has systemic effect on anabolism throughout the body. It can stimulate cell growth, reproduction, and regeneration, including articular chondrocytes. The stimulatory effect of GH on articular chondrocytes can be directly or indirectly, mediated by insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) [19]. Intraarticular growth hormone has also a local effect on the subchondral bone by inducing a modified angiogenesis which is called morphoangiogenesis. Morphoangiogenesis process induced by GH can produce structures containing histiocytes and stem cells. The stem cells produced in morphoangiogenesis process are capable to regenerate the articular cartilage [5]. A study by Kim et al. also showed a positive effect on articular cartilage of the rabbit with osteoarthritis that was injected with intraarticular GH [10]. Recent study has also shown positive results of intraarticular growth hormone injection compared with hyaluronic acid or placebo [12]. On advanced osteoarthritis of the knee, cartilage destruction is usually severe and involved more than one compartment of the knee. The positive effect of GH on cartilage regeneration has been reported in in vitro and animal studies as well as in human early and advanced OA studies [1, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17,18,19]. However, intraarticular GH injection has not yet been implemented as a standard treatment option since there lacks a standard dose for the knee osteoarthritis.