Sheeza Basharatabout 3 years ago

Ossification centers in the sternum

Here you can see the ossification centers in the sternum of a 10-month-old baby The sternum is a flat bone that extends vertically through the middle of the anterior thoracic cage. The sternum consists of the manubrium, the body, and the xiphoid process. The sternum develops over a long period of time, which begins during the prenatal period and continues through the third and fourth decades of the postnatal period. Ossification centers in the manubrium and the body form on cartilage plates that are located on both sides of the middle line during the prenatal period. The ossification centers in the manubrium generally merge before birth. Two or more ossification centers that develop on each segment of the body are referred to as sternebrae, which are located on cartilage plates on both sides of the middle line. From 6–12 years of age, the ossification centers usually merge completely into a single ossification center. The calcification and the fusion of the sternebrae are usually complete by 25 years of age.