Which of these describes the location of the growth plate, in regard to bone growth and development? a. Diaphysis b. Metaphysis c. Lacunae
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is b. Metaphysis.
The growth plate, also known as the epiphyseal plate, is located in the metaphysis of a long bone, which is the region between the diaphysis (shaft) and the epiphysis (end of the bone). This area is crucial for bone growth during childhood and adolescence.
The epiphyseal plate consists of cartilage cells that are actively undergoing mitosis. As the cells divide, they push older cells toward the diaphysis, where the cells eventually mature, become mineralized, and turn into bone tissue. This process is known as endochondral ossification. Over time, as a person reaches skeletal maturity, the cartilage in the growth plate is gradually replaced by bone, and the growth plate closes, signaling the end of height growth.
The diaphysis is the central, tubular shaft of the bone, and it does not play a direct role in growth, though it becomes longer as the cartilage from the growth plate turns into bone. The lacunae are small cavities within the bone matrix that house osteocytes (bone cells), but they are not directly involved in the process of bone growth.
Thus, the growth plate’s location in the metaphysis is key to its function in the elongation of bones, allowing for the increase in length during periods of growth and development
