What term refers to the formation of bone?

The term that refers to the formation of bone is ossification. This process involves the transformation of a cartilage model into bone tissue and is crucial during the growth and development of the skeletal system. Ossification is a natural process that occurs throughout an individual's life, including the initial formation of the skeleton in the fetus as well as the continual renewal and healing of bones in adults. This term captures the biochemical and physiological processes involved in bone development.

While osteogenesis, which is also related to bone formation, generally describes the overall process of bone development, ossification is more specifically focused on the actual hardening and mineralization of the bone matrix. The other options relate to different aspects of bone and joint health; for example, osteoarthritis refers to a degenerative joint disease, while osteopenia describes lower-than-normal bone density. Osteogenesis can be seen as a broader term encompassing ossification but does not pinpoint the specific event of bone hardening in the way that ossification does. Thus, ossification stands out as the precise term for this important process in skeletal development.