The end section of a long bone, which is initially cartilage and develops separately from the bone shaft, eventually fusing completely during skeletal maturation.
From Greek 'epi-' (upon) + 'physis' (growth, nature). Named for its position growing upon the shaft and its role in longitudinal bone growth.
Every basketball player's epiphyses eventually fuse, which is why there's a biological limit to human height—and why growth-plate injuries are so serious for young athletes, potentially stopping growth mid-development.
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