Bone formation

Objectives
 State the types of bone formation
 State the basic differences between the types
 Describe briefly the process of intramembranous
ossification giving examples
 Describe briefly the process of Endochondral
ossification giving examples
 Describe briefly the terms “Epiphysis, Diaphysis and
Metaphysis”
 Describe briefly the epiphysial growth plate
 Ossification- process of bone formation
 Commences in foetal life
 By replacement of pre-existing connective tissue
 Bone is formed directly on primitive mesenchyme
intramembranous ossification
 Occurs in clavicle and bones of the vault of the skull
 Such bones membrane bones
 the replacement of a preformed cartilagenous model
into a bone- endochondral ossification

 Area where bone formation commences

centre of ossification

 Bone formation is controlled by growth hormone,

thyroid hormone, sex hormone
Intramembranous ossification
In the area where the bone is to be formed
 Mesenchyme becomes richly vascularised
 cells actively proliferate
 Some cells in the centre become enlarged
 Become more basophilic osteoblasts
 Osteoblast secrete the matrix
 more and more matrix is deposited
 cells and their processes become entrapped in the
matrix osteocytes
 Initially laid down matrix consists of collagen fibres
and ground substance - osteoid matrix

 It is soft and unmineralized rapidly under goes

calcification bone

 Osteoblasts remain on the surface of the matrix

undergo cell division and numbers maintained

 Transformation of adjacent mesenchyme in to a

periosteum
Endochondral ossification
 Hyaline cartilagenous model is formed during
embryonic life
 process commences in the centre of the shaft-
diaphysis Primary centre of ossification

In the Primary centre

 Chondrocytes enlarge
 Matrix between the lacunae is reduced to thin
fenestrated plates
 Matrix becomes calcified
 Diffusion of nutrients through calcified matrix is
reduced leaving large inter- connecting spaces
 Leads to degeneration of chondrocytes and die

At the same time

 Perichondrium becomes an osteogenic
 Lays down a layer of bone around the calcified
cartlilage periosteal collar
 The bone formed thickens and lengthens as
ossification proceeds
 Periosteal collar maintains the strength
of the shaft
 Perichondrium becomes periosteum
 Vascular periosteal tissue- periosteal
buds invade the calcified cartilage
 Buds contain blood vessels and
osteogenic cells which transform to
osteoblasts
 With the death of the cartilage cells,
calcified cartilage is eroded by
osteoclasts
 Thin partitions between lacunae break
down forming cavities
 These cavities are primary marrow spaces
 The osteoblasts arrange themselves on the surface of the
calcified cartilage remnants and lay down osteoid matrix
which later mineralized
 Earliest trabeculae have a core of cartilage covered by a
layer of bone
 With the removal of calcified cartilage by osteoclasts,
the cavity expands, medullary or marrow cavity develops
in the shaft
 support of the bone is provided by continued
development of periosteal collar
 From the primary ossific centre the
process of bone formation extends
towards the end of the model
 The cartilage that remains at the end of
the bone is the epiphysis and this
continues to grow by interstitial growth
resulting in an increase in length of the
model
 Secondary ossific centres- epiphyseal
appear usually after birth in the epiphysis
 Bone formation extends from these
centres in all directions
 At extreme ends a layer of cartilage
remains as the articular cartilage
Epiphyseal plate
 A plate of cartilage persists between the bone formed
by the epiphyseal centre and that formed by the
diaphyseal centre
 This growth plate is entirely responsible for the
growth in length of the bone by a process of
proliferation of cartilage at the epiphyseal end with
degeneration of the cartilage and deposition of bone
at the diaphyseal end
 Several zones of activity can be recognized in the
epiphyseal plate
Beginning from the epiphyseal end
 Zone of reserve cartilage
 Area is made up of hyaline

cartilage
 It is initially long, but shortens as

the process of ossification

encroaches it
 Slow growth in the region

 Zone of proliferation
 Active proliferation of chondrocytes

 These cells are arranged in columns

in flattened lacunae
 Separated by small amount of

matrix
 Continued interstitial growth of the cartilage in this
zone is the mechanism by which bone increases in
length
 Zone of maturation
 Cell division stops

 Cells increase in size

 Zone of hypertrophy and maturation

 Cells enlarge and accumulate glycogen

 Lacunea also enlarge

 Matrix separating cells is reduced to thin longitudinal

partitions and horizontal septa

 Matrix is calcified most cells die leaving spaces
 Zone of ossification
 calcified matrix is invaded by vascular mesenchyme
containing osteogenic cells
 osteoblasts lay down bone on the surface of the
calcified cartilage
 Calcified cartilage is eroded and marrow cavity

increases in size
 The part of the diaphysis adjacent to the epiphyseal
plate where bone is being laid down is the
metephysis
 Growth in length ceases when epiphyseal plate is
replaced by bone
 Zone of union-epiphyseal line
Formations of osteones
 The bone is laid down in the form of irregular plates
 The collagen fibres are randomly arranged in the
form of a net work around irregularly scattered
vascular spaces
 There is no lamellation
 This type is woven fibred bone and is found young
foetal bones
 It is also bone formed during repair of fractures and
lining tooth sockets
 Later roughly concentric layers of non-lamellated
parallel fibred bone are deposited
 Outer
Helical course of collagen
circumferential
lamellae
Volkmann’s
canal
Osteon

Inner
circumferential
lamellae

Endosteum

Haversian canal
Haversian system
 These atypical Haversian systems of primary osteons
are deposited on the walls of vascular spaces which
are narrowed
 As bone matures typical Haversian systems or
secondary osteones are formed
 Their formation is preceded by an erosion of the
existing bone( woven and primary osteons) followed
by deposition of concentric lamellae of parallel fibred
bone on the walls of the resorption cavity
 A basophilic cement line made up of ground
substance is seen at the site of reversal from erosion
to deposition
 Cement line is seen between the secondary osteones
and early formed bone
 As bone growth continues the erosive process also
involves the secondary osteones with formation of
new Haversian systems
 Remnants of older osteones remain as the interstitial
lamellae
 Circumferential lamellae deposited on both the
periosteal and endosteal surfaces are made up of
parallel fibred lamellae with the fibres arranged
longitudinally circumferentially in adjacent lamellae
Remodelling of bone
 Internal remodeling occurs throughout life with the
removal of old osteones and deposition of new ones
 Such a process allows the bone architecture to change
in response to altered mechanical stress
 Gross remodeling with changes of shape
 example- the bones of the skull involve not only an
increase in thickness but also the surface area and in
their curvarture
 Growth at the margins would increase the surface
area while differential rates of periosteal bone
formation externally and bone erosion internally
would result in an increase in thickness
 The shaft of a long bone increases in diameter by
periosteal deposition along with the endosteal
erosion.
Repair of fractures
 When a bone fractures blood clot forms at the site
 Capillary loops and mesenchymal cells invade the
clot and collagen is laid down forming granulation
tissue
 Mesenchymal cells differentiate into chondroblasts
and osteoblast
 Fibrous granulation tissue is replaced with hyaline
cartilage and woven fibred bone to form provision
callus, which is strengthen by deposition of calcium
 Osteogenic cells of the endosteum and periosteum
also lay down a mesh work of woven bone within and
around the provisional callus to form a bony callus
 Later by osteoclastic and osteoblastic activity
lamellar bone is laid down at the site of fracture and
the original form is restored