An evaluation was made of the ossification level of the metacarpal and phalangeal
bones in human foetuses of both sexes from the 4th to the 9th month of
gestation. Our results indicate that ossification of phalangeal bones 1 to 5 always
started at the distal end of the phalanx and endochondral ossification
prevailed in the proximal phalanx of the thumb

Czerwiński, F

Mahaczek-Kordowska, A

Tomasik, E

Tomasik, M

English

Via Medica Journals

Folia Morphol. Vol. 63, No. 3, pp. 329–332Copyright © 2004 Via MedicaISSN 0015–5659www.fm.viamedica.plO R I G I N A L  A R T I C L E329Address for correspondence: Florian Czerwiński, Department of Anatomy, Pomeranian Academy of Medicine, Al. Powstańców Wlkp. 72,70–111 Szczecin, Poland, tel/fax: +48 91 466 14 80The ossification of the metacarpaland phalangeal bones in human foetusesFlorian Czerwiński1, Ewa Tomasik1, Małgorzata Tomasik2,Aldona Mahaczek-Kordowska11Department of Anatomy, Pomeranian Academy of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland2Department of General Dentistry, Pomeranian Academy of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland[Received 4 November 2002; Revised 17 February 2004; Accepted 17 February 2004]An evaluation was made of the ossification level of the metacarpal and pha-langeal bones in human foetuses of both sexes from the 4th to the 9th month ofgestation. Our results indicate that ossification of phalangeal bones 1 to 5 al-ways started at the distal end of the phalanx and endochondral ossificationprevailed in the proximal phalanx of the thumb.Key words: human foetus, metacarpal bones, phalangeal bones,ossificationINTRODUCTIONMost human skeletal bones are ossified on a car-tilaginous base [5, 14]. This is a complex process pro-gressing dynamically in time and ossification consti-tutes the final phase of this complex process [3].Thorough observation of the ossification of the foe-tal skeleton is made possible by means of the radio-logical method and evaluation of histological speci-mens [9]. This study presents the ossification of themetacarpal and phalangeal bones in human foetus-es at different stages of gestation.MATERIAL AND METHODEighty-six hands were examined taken from hu-man foetuses of both sexes aged from 4 to 9 monthsof gestation. The material included 46 hands of malefoetuses and 40 hands of female foetuses (Fig. 1).Their age was determined on the basis of crown-rump length and total length according to Scam-mon and Calkins [1, 2]. The isolated foetal handswere placed in a formalin solution of 1.11 mol/dm3concentration for a period of two weeks. SectionsFigure 1. Roentgenogram of the foetal hand in a 7-month-oldfoetus; enl. 10 ×.330Folia Morphol., 2004, Vol. 63, No. 3Figure 2. Cartilaginous model of the 3rd metacarpal bone ina 4-month-old foetus; enl. 2 ×.Figure 3. Ossification of the distal phalanx of the 4th finger ina 5-month-old foetus; enl. 40 ×.Figure 4. Ossification in the shaft of the 2nd metacarpal bone ina 5-month-old foetus; enl. 40 ×.Figure 5. Ossification of the proximal phalanx of the 5th fingerin a 7-month-old foetus; enl. 40 ×.331Florian Czerwiński et al., The ossification of the metacarpal and phalangeal bones in human foetusesof 5 mm thick were then obtained by cutting thehand parallel to the long axis of the bone. The spe-cimens underwent decalcification in nitric acid ata concentration of 1.15 mol/dm3 for 2 days and weresubsequently sliced into further sections 2 mm thickand stained with HE to assess the process of ossifi-cation.RESULTSIt was observed that at the beginning of the 4thgestational month the cartilaginous model consti-tuted the stroma of the phalangeal and metacarpalbones (Fig. 2). In the 5th gestational month the for-mation of osseous tissue was seen to be proceedingfrom the distal phalanges of fingers 1 to 5 (Fig. 3).In the shaft of these phalanges as well as in the prox-imal phalanges of fingers 2 to 5 ossification was notobserved. However, in the proximal phalanx of thethumb endochondral ossification prevailed (Fig. 6).Ossification typical for long bones was found in themetacarpal bones. The shafts of all the metacarpalbones were surrounded by an osseous cuff (Fig. 4).During the 6th and 7th gestational months numerousosseous and cartilagino-osseous trabeculae wereobserved in the shafts of all the phalanges of fingers1 to 5 (Fig. 5). During the 8th and 9th gestationalmonths further reconstruction of bones took placein the phalanges of the fingers and in the metacar-pus. In the epiphysis of the metacarpal bones ossifi-cation points appeared and in the shafts an advancedstage of the process of ossification was observed.Marrow cavities were noted.DISCUSSIONA number of authors have dealt with the histo-genesis of bones and the early stages of develop-ment of the human skeleton [5, 8, 10–12]. The devel-opment of the skeleton at an early gestational agehas been assessed in many different ways [6, 9, 13].Mayer and O’Rahilly [9] examined the hands andfeet of human foetuses in the 3rd month of gesta-tion using the 3 main techniques of staining withalizarin red, preparing a series of histological speci-mens of bone sections and the radiological method.They recommended histological techniques as themost appropriate for the assessment of the earlystages of ossification. Mall [7] described the ossifi-cation of various bones, including the bones of thehand, in embryos in the first 100 days of foetal life.He observed that the 2nd and the 3rd metacarpal boneare formed at the same period and all 5 bones canbe distinguished from the 64th day of foetal life. Healso found that the phalanges appear first beforeany other bones of the hand. O’Rahilly at al. [15],describing the phases of ossification in the hand,claimed that the only points where ossification canclearly be seen during foetal life are the ends of thedistal phalanges. Mall’s findings [8] confirmedO’Rahilly’s observation in this respect. Mall statedthat ossification starts at the distal ends of the pha-langes, not in the middle of the shaft, as with otherlong bones. This process progresses only in one direc-tion — medially. The early ossification of the distalphalanges was also noticed by Garn and Burdi [4],who examined the process mainly on male foetuses.The timing and sequence of the skeletal develop-ment of the hand presented by O’Rahilly and Gard-ner [12] as well as by Mall [8] are consistent withour observations. However, our examinationsshowed a slightly different process of ossification ofthe phalanges in the thumb.REFERENCES1. Bożiłow W, Sawicki K (1980) Metody badań zmien-ności cech anatomicznych człowieka podczas rozwo-ju prenatalnego i okołoporodowego. Akademia Me-dyczna, Wrocław 26–36: 234–258.2. Bożiłow W, Sawicki K (1972) Metodyka antropometryc-znego badania płodów. Mat Prac Antrop, 83: 185–274.Figure 6. The hand of a 5-month-old foetus: a — ossification ofthe proximal phalanx of the thumb; b — ossification of the distalphalanx of the thumb; enl 10 ×.332Folia Morphol., 2004, Vol. 63, No. 33. Gallus K (1980) Fizjologia i patofizjologia wzrostui przebudowy kości. Acta Physiol Pol, 31 (supl. 21): 1–49.4. Garn SM, Burdi AR (1974) Male advancement in prena-tal hand development. Am J Phys Anthrop, 41: 353–359.5. Hansman ChF (1962) Appearance and fusion of ossifi-cation centers in the human skeleton. Am J Roentgenol,88: 476–478.6. Kozielec T, Miętkowski J, Januszewski J (1977) Roent-genometric and histometric studies of the metacar-pal bones of human fetuses. Folia Morphol, 36: 339––346.7. Mall FP (1906) On ossification centers in human embryosless than one hundred days old. Am J Anat, 5: 433–458.8. Mall FP (1918) On the age of human embryos. Am JAnat, 23: 397–422.9. Meyer DB, O’Rahilly R (1958) Multiple techniques inthe study of the onset of prenatal ossification. AnatRec, 132: 181–193.10. Noback CR, Noback E (1944) Demonstrating the os-seous skeleton of human embryos and fetuses. StainTech, 19: 51–54.11. Noback CR, Robertson GG (1951) Sequence of appear-ance of ossification centers in the human skeletonduring the first five prenatal months. Am J Anat, 89:1–28.12. O’Rahilly R, Gardner E (1975) The timing and sequenceof events in the development of the limbs in the hu-man embryo. Anat Embryol, 148: 1–23.13. O’Rahilly R, Meyer DB (1956) Roentgenographic inves-tigation of the human skeleton during early fetal life.Am J Roentgenol, 76: 455–468.14. O’Rahilly R (1962) The ossification of the skeleton ofthe limbs. Irish J Med Sc, 78–81.15. O’Rahilly R, Gardner E, Gray D (1959) The skeletaldevelopment of the hand. Clin Orthopaedics, 13:42–51.

The ossification of the metacarpal and phalangeal bones in human foetuses

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The ossification of the metacarpal and phalangeal bones in human foetuses

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