The central canal of an osteon, also known as the Haversian canal, contains blood vessels and nerves. These blood vessels supply nutrients and oxygen to the bone cells (osteocytes) and remove waste products. The nerves within the central canal are responsible for transmitting pain signals and other sensory information.
Osteons are the fundamental functional units of compact bone, and each osteon is composed of concentric layers of bone matrix called lamellae. The central canal runs longitudinally through the osteon, providing a pathway for the vascular and nervous supply essential for bone health and function.