Epiphyseal plates, also known as growth plates, are areas of cartilage located at the ends of long bones in children and adolescents. These plates are responsible for the lengthening of bones as they grow. As a person matures, the cartilage in the epiphyseal plates gradually turns into bone, eventually leading to the closure of the plates when growth is complete. The process of bone growth at the epiphyseal plates is influenced by various factors, including hormones like growth hormone and sex hormones. Once the epiphyseal plates close, typically in late adolescence or early adulthood, further lengthening of the bones is no longer possible, marking the end of skeletal growth.