Eur J Anat, 3 (3): 121-126 (1999)

Development and segments of cartilage canals in the chick embryo. A light microscope study

Domenech-Ratto G., Fernandez-Villacanas M.M., Ballester-Moreno A., Domenech-Asensi P.

Dept. de Ciencias Morfologicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain

ABSTRACT Serial histological sections of distal femoral and proximal tibial epiphyses from 24 chick embryos with ages between the 8th and the 21st day of incubation were studied by light microscopic examination. Cartilage canals first appeared on the 9th and 10th day in the femur and tibia, respectively, as invaginations of the perichondrium. A completely developed canal is composed of three different segments: first, a proximal and funnel-shaped segment that retains a perichondral lining; second, a medium and tubular segment with no clear wall boundary; and third, a distal segment which shows a discontinuous wall structure composed of a fibrillar layer and a cellular layer; this segment features a globular end characterized by the absence of wall structure but rather, a close apposition of the canal's cellular elements with the neighboring cartilage matrix. The relationships of the canals and the secondary centres of ossification are commented.

Keywords: animal tissue, article, cartilage, chick embryo, embryo, embryo development, epiphysis, femur, histology, microscopy, nonhuman, ossification, perichondrium, tibia