What process describes the replacement of cartilage by bone?

The process that describes the replacement of cartilage by bone is ossification. Ossification is the biological process in which the cartilage scaffold forms the basis for the development of bone tissue. This transformation is crucial during the growth phase, particularly in the development of long bones and during the healing of fractures.

During ossification, osteoblasts (cells responsible for bone formation) lay down new bone material, gradually replacing the cartilage with hard bone tissue. This process is essential for the proper formation of the skeletal system and allows for the growth and strengthening of bones over time.

Calcification and mineralization both refer to processes involving the accumulation of calcium salts in tissue, which may occur in both cartilage and bone but do not specifically describe the transformation from one type to another. Bone remodeling, on the other hand, refers to the ongoing process of bone resorption and formation that occurs after bones have already developed, rather than the initial formation from cartilage.