Kasvukõhrplaatide

Kasvukõhrplaatide, also known as epiphyseal plates or growth plates, are areas of hyaline cartilage found in the metaphysis of long bones in children and adolescents. These plates are crucial for longitudinal bone growth, meaning they are responsible for increasing the length of bones. The process involves chondrocytes, the cartilage cells, proliferating and hypertrophying, creating new cartilage tissue. This new cartilage is then gradually replaced by bone through endochondral ossification, leading to bone lengthening. The growth plates are typically present from birth until skeletal maturity is reached, at which point they fuse and are replaced by solid bone. The timing of fusion varies depending on the specific bone and sex, generally occurring in late adolescence. Damage to or premature fusion of a growth plate can lead to limb length discrepancies or deformities. X-rays are often used to assess the condition and maturity of growth plates.