Dwarf

Dwarf, person with an underdeveloped skeleton caused by cartilage cells that fail to grow and divide properly. Chondrodystrophic dwarfism exists when certain cartilage cells are defective. Chromosome-related dwarfism occurs when all of the cells are defective. Hormonal dwarfism occurs when a hormone deficiency interferes with the growth of normal cartilage cells. Nonhormonal dwarfism results when disease or severely impaired nourishment blunts the normal growth of cartilage cells.