What term describes the process where calcium and other minerals are introduced to the cartilage matrix, transforming it into bone?

The term that describes the process where calcium and other minerals are introduced to the cartilage matrix, transforming it into bone, is ossification. Ossification specifically refers to the process of bone formation during which the cartilage template is gradually replaced by bone tissue. This process is vital during growth and development, particularly in the formation of the skeleton in fetuses and growing children.

Calcification, while related, generally refers to the accumulation of calcium salts in a tissue, which may occur in both bone and non-bone tissues. Mineralization is a broader term that can pertain to any process in which minerals are incorporated into organic matrices but does not specifically denote the transformation of cartilage into bone. Osteogenesis is a term that describes the overall process of bone formation but does not specifically emphasize the transformation from cartilage to bone. Thus, ossification is the most precise term for this context.