Intramembranous Ossification
No hyaline cartilage model precursor
Mesenchyme → Bone
In this process, bone cells (specifically osteoblasts) differentiate directly from mesenchymal cells to produce osteoid.
• The process leads to the production of the flat bones of the skull and the bones of the face.
• This process begins to occur around the 8th week of gestation in humans.
Endochondral Ossification
Hyaline cartilage model precursor
Mesenchyme → Hyaline → Hyaline Cartilage → Bone
In this process, mesenchyme is first replaced by a hyaline cartilage model. Why do we say a hyaline cartilage “model”? We say this because, this the hyaline cartilage takes on the initial shape of the bone, as well as the bone’s position in the body. Then, this hyaline cartilage model is eroded and replaced with bone.
• Endochondral ossification leads to the production of most short and long bones of the body.
• During embryonic development in humans, the first hyaline cartilage models are visible in the 6th week of gestation and ossification centers are present in all long bones of the limbs by the 12th week of gestation.
Steps of Intramembranous Ossification
Development of the Ossification Center
Calcification
3. Woven Bone and Periosteum Development
4. Replacement of Woven Bone
Development of the Ossification Center
Some of the elongated, pale-staining, mesenchymal cells cluster, differentiate into osteoprogenitor cells, and then become more rounded, while their cytoplasm changes from eosinophilic to basophilic. This basophilic change is due to changes in the cytoplasm including the addition of more rough endoplasmic reticulum. These cells have now differentiation into osteoblasts.
• This cluster of osteoblasts
Calcification
Woven Bone and Periosteum Development
What is being made here is primary bone (also known as woven bone or immature bone).
• This woven bone is produced in small irregularly shaped pieces or spicules that are increased in size by apposition growth (meaning growth along the surface).
• This growth allows the small patches of bone production to merge together to produce a labyrinth of woven bone.
• Then, the spaces between the bone spicules are infiltrated with embryonic blood vessels, which will differentiate into red bone marrow.
• Additionally, the mesenchyme at the periphery of the bone condenses and forms the periosteum.
Replacement of Woven Bone
• The woven bone is then replaced by lamellar bone, forming compact and spongy bone. Specifically, with flat bones, spongy bone will be formed between two layers of compact bone.
Mesenchyme
loosely organized embryonic connective tissue
This tissue has elongated, pale-staining, undifferentiated cells called mesenchymal cells.
These cells have oval nuclei with prominent nucleoli and fine chromatin.
These cells also have thin cytoplasmic processes.
This tissue is also composed of a viscous ground substance.
small spicules
Starting point for woven bone formation.
Howship’s lacuna
multinucleated cell that is called an osteoclast and is located in a resorption bay, also known as a Howship’s lacuna
Endochondral Ossification steps
Capillaries and osteoprogenitor cells from the new periosteum penetrate the bone collar and grow into the disintegrating calcified cartilage location inducing the creation of the primary ossification center.
These entering blood vessels into this open space at the core of the diaphysis are important for the development of the bone marrow for the medullary cavity.
Osteoprogenitor cells brought into the area differentiate into osteoblasts. These osteoblasts begin to deposit bone matrix against the remnants of the calcified cartilage. In other words, primary or woven bone is produced along the side of the remaining spicules of calcified cartilage.
Remember, the primary bone is eosinophilic and calcified cartilage is basophilic. The calcified cartilage will also be identifiable as it will cell-less (in other words, it has no chondrocytes present). This is unlike the bone which will have cells (specifically osteocytes) in the lacunae.
Again, this primary ossification center is found in the diaphysis – while at this same time, hyaline cartilage remains in the ends (or epiphyses) of the developing bone.
After birth, secondary ossification centers develop in a similar manner to that of the primary ossification center in the diaphysis. However, these secondary ossification centers are located in the epiphyses.
Chondrocytes in the epiphyses undergoes hypertrophy, the cartilage matrix is compressed, the cartilage matrix calcifies, and the chondrocytes subsequently die – all of which opens up spaces between spicules of calcified cartilage.
Then, blood vessels and osteoprogenitor cells enter the spaces that have been opened up in the epiphyses and secondary ossification centers develop.
Hyaline cartilage is retained on the ends of the model and becomes the articular cartilage for cushioning of bone ends participating in joints.
• Additionally, the remnant of hyaline cartilage between the epiphysis and the flared portion of the diaphysis (known as the metaphysis) is retained as the epiphyseal plate, which will be responsible for the lengthwise growth of long bones.
At the end of puberty, which marks the end of growth in terms of height, hormone changes cause the epiphyseal cartilage to be replaced with bone forming the epiphyseal line.
The epiphyseal line, therefore, is the remnant of the last location of the epiphyseal plate.
Bone Growth – Length
Zones of the epiphyseal plate, starting with the zone closest to the epiphysis, and the activity occurring within each zone:
In this zone, cartilage cells (specifically chondrocytes in lacunae) are undergoing mitosis and are stacking up like coins in line with the long axis of the bone.
• These stacks of cartilage cells that look like coins are isogenous groups.
• These cells are also actively producing matrix.
• With the division oriented in this direction (specifically along the long axis of the bone) and the matrix production - the epiphysis is pushed away from the diaphysis causing the bone to lengthen.
One thing to keep in mind when it comes to the epiphyseal plate, the epiphyseal plate remains the same width during the growth of an individual:
• This means that cartilage growth must equal bone tissue replacement.
• However, at epiphyseal plate closure - hormones signal for the end of chondrocyte division and bone replaces all of the cartilage. This produces the epiphyseal line.
At Periosteal Surface of Bone
Osteoblasts secrete bone matrix
At Endosteal Surface of Bone
Osteoclasts breakdown bone matrix