AN OBSERVATION OF CARTILAGE CANALS IN HUMAN FETUS / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Cartilages of 19 human fetuses were studied by microangiographic and histological methods. Blood vessels were enclosed in a special structure, the cartilage canal which were present in individual cartilages from 2～3 months of the fetus. The cartilage canals developed either from the superficial blood vessels which was gradually embedded in the cartilage as it grew, or blood vessels in the cartilage canal grew and divided themselve progressively and penetrated into the deeper part of the cartilage. In addition to the nutritional supply for the centers of the growth of cartilage, the cartilage canal participates directly in the osteogenesis of the secondary centers of ossification.