Kasvulevyihin

Kasvulevyihin, known in English as growth plates, are areas of specialized cartilage in long bones of children and adolescents. These plates are responsible for the lengthening of bones as an individual grows. Each long bone typically has two growth plates, one at each end. The cells within the growth plate undergo mitosis, producing new cartilage cells, which then mature and are eventually replaced by bone through ossification. This process continues until growth is complete, typically in late adolescence or early adulthood. Once ossification is finished, the growth plate fuses, and the bone can no longer increase in length. Injuries to growth plates, known as physeal fractures, can disrupt this process and potentially lead to premature closure of the plate, resulting in limb length discrepancies. Conditions affecting growth plates can also impact overall skeletal development.