Bone Development
Bones develop in one of the following two ways:
• Intramembranous formation: most lat bones
develop in this way by direct calcium deposition
into a mesenchymal (primitive mesoderm)
precursor or model of the bone.
• 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. 👆):
• 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.
• Formation of spongy (cancellous) endochondral
bone on calcified spicules.
• Diaphysis elongation, formation of the central
marrow cavity, and appearance of the secondary
ossiication centers in the epiphyses.
• Long bone growth during childhood.
• Epiphysial fusion occurring from puberty into
maturity (early to mid-20s).