Why does height growth stop when cell division and bone deposition end in long bones?

In long bones, longitudinal growth occurs at the epiphyseal plate, a specialized region of cartilage. This process involves a continuous cycle where cartilage cells replicate and are subsequently replaced by bone from the shaft side.12

Height growth stops when an individual reaches skeletal maturity because the epiphyseal plates—the "growth plates"—fuse and are entirely replaced by bone. Once this fusion occurs, the cartilage cells that were responsible for producing new tissue are no longer present, and the mechanism for longitudinal extension is permanently lost.12

This transition is influenced by various hormones, such as estrogens and testosterone, which promote skeletal development but ultimately trigger the closure of these plates. Once the plates have fused, the bone can no longer increase in length, effectively ending the period of height growth.312