koski1968 BAUME

Fig. 7. No growth is evident in :I 304:1y t r:tt~s~)lantntiorl (subcut,aneous) of a cranial base
synchondrosis of the rat.
the cranial base, probably due mostly to the endochondral ossification at the
synchondroses, may still be only a response to external stimuli4”
One way of trying to obt,ain direct information about the independent
growth potential of this cartilage is to follow its growth as a transplant in a
relatively nonfunctional site. 24 When this is done, it is seen tha.t the basieranial
synchondroses do not grow and effect dimensional growth of the adjacent bone4G
in a manner comparable to that seen in situ4 (Fig. 7). The cartilage appears
not to have the same amount of independent, growth potential as t,hat observed
in transplants of epiphyseal cartilage under similar experimental condi-
tions 24, 45, 47, 48, 89
In this connection, it should be mentioned that some authors have expressed
doubt about the significance of the spheno-occipital synchondrosis for cranial
growth, on the basis that it appears to close much earlier than is usually stated
in the textbooks, namely, when the individual is 11 to 16 years of age,O1 and
that, even until that time, the dimensional increase of the clivus during the
postnatal period is very slight.”
It appears, then, that at the present time there is no direct evidence to
support the claim that the synchondroses are growth cent,ers in the sense of the
definition.
CARTILAGE OF THE NASAL SEPTUM
The role of the cartilaginous nasal septum has been discussed by many authors
also ‘9 ‘3 7l I43 ‘j, 78, 7o, 80, 81 and the general consensus seems to he that it pro-
,