Which artery connects osteons together?

• A. Volmann/perforating artery
• B. Nutrient artery
• C. Central artery
• D. Periosteal artery

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how blood supply is organized in compact bone. Each osteon has its own central (Haversian) canal with a vessel inside, but the bone needs a way to connect these units so perfusion can move across the dense matrix. This connection is provided by the transverse perforating (Volkmann’s) canals, which link neighboring Haversian canals and bring vessels from the periosteum and endosteum into the network. That makes Volkmann’s arteries the pathway that unites osteons with each other, enabling a continuous blood supply throughout the compact bone. The nutrient artery mainly supplies the medullary cavity via the nutrient foramen and is not primarily responsible for connecting osteons; the central artery is the vessel inside a single osteon, not a connector between multiple osteons. Periosteal arteries contribute to the outer bone surface and feed into the perforating system, but the direct link between osteons is through Volkmann’s channels.