Bone Development
Bones develop in one of the following two ways:
β’ Intramembranous formation: most lat bones
develop in this way by direct calcium deposition
into a mesenchymal (primitive mesoderm)
precursor or model of the bone.
β’ Endochondral formation: most long and
irregularly shaped bones develop by calcium
deposition into a cartilaginous model of the bone
that provides a scafold for the future bone.
he following sequence of events deines endo-
chondral bone formation (Fig. π):
β’ Formation of a thin collar of bone around a
hyaline cartilage model. Cavitation of the primary ossiication center and
invasion of vessels, nerves, lymphatics, red
marrow elements, and osteoblasts.
β’ Formation of spongy (cancellous) endochondral
bone on calcified spicules.
β’ Diaphysis elongation, formation of the central
marrow cavity, and appearance of the secondary
ossiication centers in the epiphyses.
β’ Long bone growth during childhood.
β’ Epiphysial fusion occurring from puberty into
maturity (early to mid-20s).