Developmental study of cartilage canals in tibia of albino rat

Abstract EN

Cartilage canals are channels of loose, vascularized mesenchyme that traverse the hyaline cartilage of the epiphysis before ossification.

The canals contain blood vessels which eventually become incorporated into the developing ossification center.

The aim of this work was to study the cartilage canals developmentally as regard to their structure, function andfate.

A total number qf 35 albino rats were used in this study.

The ages used were 4, 7, 8, 10 & 14 days.

The animals were sacrified and the knee joints were dissected, fixed in 10% formaline and decalcified in neutral E.D.

T.A.

After the routine histological processing the specimens were embedded in paraffin.

Serial longitudinal sections were cut at a thickness of 10ft and were stained with Haematoxylin.

The results of this study were divided into 3 stages.

First stage "Formation stage " is represented by the ages 4 & 7 days.

The canals appeared at the age of four days and reached its full maturation at the age of seven days.

Second stage "Ossification center stage " is represented by the ages 8 & 10 days.

During this stage, the ossification center appeared and reached its full development.

The canals assist the development of the ossification centers by supplying them with osteoprogenirator and blood cells.

Third stage (degeneration stage) is represented by age 14 days.

This is the stage of degeneration and disappearance of the cartilage canals.

The canals started to degenerate by deposition of fibrous tissue in their walls with a picture of endarteritis obliterans and lastly completely disappeared.

In conclusion, the cartilage canals are important for the development and nutrition of epiphyseal cartilages of the long bones.

The cartilage canals, also, act as a trigger for the appearance andformation of the ossification centers.