Library · Anatomy
Growth plate
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The growth plate, also called the physis, is an area of tissue near the ends of the long bones in children and teenagers. It determines how long each bone will be, and what shape it will have, once it has finished maturing.
That area is cartilage. Its cells, the chondrocytes, keep multiplying and adding cartilage at the end, and that is what lengthens the bone. Meanwhile, in the diaphysis, the long shaft of the bone, true bone gradually takes the place of that cartilage. It is like a plant stem that grows at its soft tip while the lower part is already woody.
This work does not last forever. When growth is complete, the plates close and solid bone is left in their place. While they are still open, they are weaker even than the ligaments and tendons around them, and that is why they are vulnerable to injury.
In brief
The growth plate, or physis, is the tissue near the ends of long bones in children and teens that determines their future length and shape.
There, chondrocytes keep multiplying and lengthen the bone, while in the diaphysis, the bone's shaft, bone replaces cartilage.
A plant stem grows at its tip while the lower part is already woody.
When growth ends, the plates close and are replaced by solid bone; while still open, they are even weaker than nearby ligaments and tendons, which makes them vulnerable to injury.
Sources (2)
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of HealthGrowth Plate Injuries, NIAMSPublished
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingEmbryology, Bone Ossification, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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