Epiphysis: Understanding Bone Growth at the Ends of Bones

The growing end of a bone is called the epiphysis. It is the region of the bone where growth occurs. Epiphyses are found at the ends of long bones, such as the thigh bone (femur) and the upper arm bone (humerus). They are responsible for the growth of the bone in length.

There are two types of epiphyses: primary and secondary. Primary epiphyses are formed during embryonic development and are responsible for the majority of bone growth during childhood. Secondary epiphyses are formed later in childhood and are responsible for fine-tuning the shape and size of the bone.

Once a bone reaches its full adult size, the epiphyses close and the bone stops growing. This process is called epiphyseal closure.