Bone Development: Intramembranous vs. Endochondral Ossification

Epiphyseal plates, often called growth plates, are regions of cartilage found at the ends of long bones. They are responsible for bone lengthening during childhood and adolescence. As a child grows, these plates remain open, allowing bones to increase in length through a process called endochondral ossification, where cartilage is gradually replaced by bone. By comparing skeletons aged 8–10, 10–12, and a fully mature adult, we can observe this process at different stages of development. In the 8