If you’re deficient in Cyp26b1 then having a Vitamin A deficient diet may be a way to grow taller.

Cyp26b1 Within the Growth Plate Regulates Bone Growth in Juvenile Mice.

“Retinoic acid (RA) is an active metabolite of vitamin A and plays important roles in embryonic development. CYP26 enzymes degrade RA and have specific expression patterns that produce a RA gradient, which regulates the patterning of various structures in the embryo.  Localized RA activities in the diaphyseal portion of the growth plate cartilage were associated with the specific expression of Cyp26b1 in the epiphyseal portion in juvenile mice. To disturb the distribution of RA, we generated mice lacking Cyp26b1 specifically in chondrocytes (Cyp26b1Δchon cKO). These mice showed reduced skeletal growth in the juvenile stage. Additionally, their growth plate cartilage showed decreased proliferation rates of proliferative chondrocytes, which was associated with a reduced height in the zone of proliferative chondrocytes, and closed focally by four weeks of age, while wild-type mouse growth plates never closed. Feeding the Cyp26b1 cKO mice a vitamin A-deficient diet partially reversed these abnormalities of the growth plate cartilage. Cyp26b1 in the growth plate regulates the proliferation rates of chondrocytes and is responsible for the normal function of the growth plate and growing bones in juvenile mice, probably by limiting the RA distribution in the growth plate proliferating zone.”

“Cyp26b1 is expressed in the distal region of developing limb buds, and mice that lack Cyp26b1 show severe limb malformation due to the spreading of the RA signal toward the distal end of the developing limb, causing abnormal patterning of limb skeletal elements”

“In juveniles, focal closures of the growth plate in the distal tibia, the proximal tibia, the distal tibia, elbow, proximal femur and distal femur are caused by the treatment of acne with retinoids or the treatment of hyperkeratinosis with cis-retinoic acid. In guinea pigs, the application of RA caused closure of the growth plates in the proximal tibia”

“Excess intake of vitamin A causes growth impairment and skeletal pain in juveniles”