Endochondral bone formation

On this image, the deepest red color is bone while pink represents either fibrocartilage (i.e., collagen within cartilage) or mineralized cartilage.  Active endochondral ossification is occurring, with the central clearing representing the invasion of bone into cartilage.  Osteoclasts are busy removing the calcified cartilage while osteoblasts are laying down new bone.

Choose the thumbnail at right for an overview, or choose from among the thumbnails below for additional views.

Comments and questions: dgking@siu.edu

SIUC / School of Medicine / Anatomy / David King

https://histology.siu.edu/ssb/NM005b.htm
Last updated:  12 August 2021 / dgk