Pyridinoline (Pyr) and deoxypyridinoline (DPyr) are crosslinking compounds of bone collagen. Their urinary excretion is considered to be the first sensitive and specific marker of bone resorption in a number of metabolic bone diseases in adults. Application of crosslinks measurements to evaluate bone turnover rate in pediatric patients is so far limited because of lack of reference values. Therefore, the aim of our study was to determine urinary excretion of Pyr and DPyr in healthy children aged 3-18 yrs, and to evaluate the possible relationship between the levels of both compounds and body height, weight, BMC, and BMD. Pyr and DPyr levels were determined in first void urine samples obtained from 249 children (124 boys, 125 girls). Urine aliquots were hydrolysed, Pyr and DPyr extracted on CF1 cellulose, and analysed by HPLC with fluorimetric detection. Bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) were measured with Lunar DPX-L apparatus in 205 children (104 boys, 101 girls) from the same population, aged over 5.5 yrs. In prepubertal children, a tendency towards lowering of urinary Pyr and DPyr levels with advancing age was shown. At puberty, urinary excretion of both crosslinks markedly decreased. This phenomenon was observed at various calendar age in girls as compared to boys, reflecting sex-dependent differences. Significant negative correlation (p < 0.0001) between urinary Pyr and DPyr levels and calendar age, body height and weight, BMC and BMD, were also found. The obtained results suggest that references values for Pyr and DPyr excretion in growing children should be related to calendar age, sex, and--in case of adolescents--phase of puberty.