Where are the epiphyseal growth plates located in long bones?

In long bones, the epiphyseal growth plates—also known as the physis—are located between the epiphysis (the expanded end of the bone) and the metaphysis (the region that flares outward from the central shaft).12

These plates consist of highly ordered rows of cartilage cells and serve as the site for longitudinal bone growth. During development, the growth plate allows the bone to increase in length by continuously producing new cartilage that is subsequently replaced by bone. This process continues until an individual reaches skeletal maturity, at which point the growth plates fuse and disappear, preventing further longitudinal growth. In bones with complex articulations or multiple protuberances, there may be several separate epiphyses, each associated with its own growth plate.342