Epiphyseal Plates
Also known as growth plates, these are zones of cartilage near the ends of long bones where new bone tissue is produced, enabling bones to lengthen during development.
Biological Context
Epiphyseal plates are the only places where long bones can grow in length. The cartilage cells in these plates divide, pushing older cells toward the bone shaft where they calcify and become bone. When the plates close (ossify)—typically ages 14-17 for girls, 16-19 for boys—height increase stops permanently. Injuries to growth plates can cause uneven growth.
Business Application
Organizational growth plates: specific zones where expansion can occur. Just as bones grow only at epiphyseal plates (not throughout), companies grow at designated expansion points—new market teams, R&D units, acquisition integrations. Growth everywhere simultaneously is diffuse and weak; concentrated growth at defined plates is effective.