What does epiphyseal mean?
Emma Payne
Published Jan 11, 2026
1 : a part or process of a bone that ossifies separately and later becomes ankylosed to the main part of the bone especially : an end of a long bone. 2 : pineal gland.
What is the function of epiphyseal?
The epiphysis is the area of the long bone where bone growth takes place. Long bones actually grow from the inside out. When the bones need to grow, they grow from the epiphyseal plate and push new bone outward. When the bone is done growing, the epiphyseal plate stops creating cells.
What does epiphyseal plate mean in medical terms?
Medical Definition of epiphyseal plate
: the chiefly hyaline cartilage that unites an epiphysis with the shaft of a long bone and is the site where the bone grows in length : growth plate.
What happens at the epiphyseal?
Growth in height is driven by elongation of long bones due to chondrogenesis at the epiphyseal plates, also known as the growth plate. This process results from chondrocyte proliferation, hypertrophy, and extracellular matrix secretion.
What is epiphyseal growth?
The epiphyseal growth plate is the main site of longitudinal growth of the long bones. At this site, cartilage is formed by the proliferation and hypertrophy of cells and synthesis of the typical extracellular matrix. The formed cartilage is then calcified, degraded, and replaced by osseous tissue.
22 related questions foundWhat is a marrow cavity?
The medullary cavity (medulla, innermost part) is the central cavity of bone shafts where red bone marrow and/or yellow bone marrow (adipose tissue) is stored; hence, the medullary cavity is also known as the marrow cavity.
What happens to bones up to age 30 and after age 30?
Between 30 and 50 Years of Age
All through your life, your body is continually removing old bone and replacing it with fresh bone. This process is called remodeling. Up until about age 40, all the bone removed is replaced. After age 40, however, less bone is replaced.
What part of the bone grows?
The epiphyseal plate is the area of growth in a long bone. It is a layer of hyaline cartilage where ossification occurs in immature bones. On the epiphyseal side of the epiphyseal plate, cartilage is formed. On the diaphyseal side, cartilage is ossified, and the diaphysis grows in length.
Do adults have an epiphysis?
The long bone in a child is divided into four regions: the diaphysis (shaft or primary ossification centre), metaphysis (where the bone flares), physis (or growth plate) and the epiphysis (secondary ossification centre). In the adult, only the metaphysis and diaphysis are present (Figure 1).
At what age do male growth plates close?
Growth plates usually close near the end of puberty. For girls, this usually is when they're 13–15; for boys, it's when they're 15–17.
What causes abnormal bone growth?
Summary. Fibrous dysplasia is a condition that causes abnormal growth or swelling of bone. The cause seems to be a genetic change that alters the usual growth of the bone's connective tissue. Treatment includes surgery to remove diseased section of bone.
What happens to the cartilage at the end of puberty?
These new cartilage cells push older, larger cartilage cells towards the middle of a bone. Eventually, these older cartilage cells die and the space they occupied is replaced with bone.
What are some possible outcomes of the epiphyseal plate has been damaged?
If a fracture goes through a growth plate, it can result in a shorter or crooked limb. A growth plate fracture affects the layer of growing tissue near the ends of a child's bones. Growth plates are the softest and weakest sections of the skeleton — sometimes even weaker than surrounding ligaments and tendons.
What is yellow marrow?
There are two types of bone marrow: red and yellow. Red bone marrow contains blood stem cells that can become red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. Yellow bone marrow is made mostly of fat and contains stem cells that can become cartilage, fat, or bone cells.
Where do you find yellow marrow?
Yellow marrow is found in the hollow interior of the diaphyseal portion or the shaft of long bones.
What is diaphysis bone?
The central tubular region of the bone, called the diaphysis, flares outward near the end to form the metaphysis, which contains a largely cancellous, or spongy, interior. At the end of the bone is the epiphysis, which in young people is separated from the metaphysis by the physis, or growth plate.
What is a joint?
A joint is the part of the body where two or more bones meet to allow movement. Generally speaking, the greater the range of movement, the higher the risk of injury because the strength of the joint is reduced. The six types of freely movable joint include ball and socket, saddle, hinge, condyloid, pivot and gliding.
What separates the diaphysis from the epiphysis?
The cartilage that separates the epiphyses and diaphysis are called epiphyseal plates (see Figure 4.19). The epiphyseal plates are responsible for growth in length of the bone.
What is epiphyseal fusion?
In senescent growth plates, epiphyseal fusion was observed to be an abrupt event in which all remaining chondrocytes were rapidly replaced by bone elements. Fusion occurred when the rate of chondrocyte proliferation approached zero. Estrogen caused this proliferative exhaustion and fusion to occur earlier.
When a bone is broken a blood clot develops the name for this clot is?
This is called fat embolism. Fat embolism is quite common after major trauma in which one or more large bones are broken. But the body is usually able to clear the fat from circulation without any significant damage.
Why do we need calcium in the blood?
Calcium is a mineral most often associated with healthy bones and teeth, although it also plays an important role in blood clotting, helping muscles to contract, and regulating normal heart rhythms and nerve functions.
What type of ossification occurs in the skull?
The direct conversion of mesenchymal tissue into bone is called intramembranous ossification. This process occurs primarily in the bones of the skull. In other cases, the mesenchymal cells differentiate into cartilage, and this cartilage is later replaced by bone.
Are teeth bones?
Teeth and bones look similar and share some commonalities, including being the hardest substances in your body. But teeth aren't actually bone. This misconception might arise from the fact that both contain calcium. More than 99 percent of your body's calcium can be found in your bones and teeth.
Does walking increase bone density?
By simply taking regular brisk walks, you can improve your bone density and reduce your risk of hip fractures.
Can you reverse bone loss?
The short answer is no, osteoporosis cannot be completely reversed and is not considered curable, but there are a number of health and lifestyle adjustments you can make to improve bone loss. Your provider may also prescribe you medications to help rebuild and slow down bone loss.