Bone Metabolism Flashcards
Which type of bone is affected worse by diseases with increased bone turnover.
Trabecular bone
- because it has a greater surface area than cortical bone
- remodelled more rapidly
How much of the skeleton is cortical and how much is trabecular?
Cortical - 80%
Trabecular - 20%
What is the function of non-collagenous bone proteins?
Involved in the attachment of bone cells to bone matrix
Regulates bone cell activity during the process of bone remodelling
Name and describe the function of the cells involved in the process of bone remodelling.
1) Osteoblasts
- bone forming cells
- line the bone surface and synthesise osteoid
- becomes an osteocyte when is has synthesised the bone
2) Osteocytes
- embedded in the bone matrix, each with their own lacuna
- act as sensors of mechanical strain on the skeleton and release signalling molecules such as prostaglandins which modulate the activity of adjacent cells
3) Osteoclasts
- involved in bone resorption and bone remodelling
Describe the bone remodelling cycle.
Quiescence
- 90% of bone surfaces in the adult skeleton
Resorption
- 10-14 days
- osteoclast recruitment, differentiation and activation
Reversal
- osteoclasts apoptose and are removed
- osteoclast recruitment, differentiation and activation
Formation
- matrix synthesis and mineralisation
- 150 days
Which systemic hormones stimulate bone remodelling?
PTH 1,25 DHHC PTH-related protein Growth hormone Thyroid hormone
Which locally acting factors stimulate bone remodelling?
IL-1 TNF Insulin-like growth factor IL-6 Prostaglandins Macrophages-colony stimulating factors
Which systemic hormones inhibit bone remodelling?
Oestrogens
Androgens
Progesterone
Calcitonin
Which locally acting factors inhibit bone remodelling?
Osteoprotegerin
IF-gamma
IL-4, 10, 13 and 18
Transforming growth factor beta
How does oestrogen deficiency affect postmenopausal bone loss?
Causes high bone resorption (bone loss)
- increases extracellular calcium
- consequently suppresses renal calcium reabsorption and gut calcium absorption by decreasing PTH and calcitrol
- this again increases bone resorption and causes osteoporosis
What is the definition of osteoporosis?
Skeletal disorder characterised by compromised bone strength predisposing a person to increased risk of a fracture
Bone strength reflects the integrity of the bone density and bone quality
Describe the structure of trabeculae in osteoporosis.
Trabecular continuity is disrupted by trabecular perforation
Thin rods replace the normal plate-like trabeculae
Describe the structure of the cortical bone in osteoporosis.
Becomes thinner and more porous
Patchy differences in mineralisation
Describe the role of RANK ligand in osteoclast formation, function and survival.
Active in the absence of macrophage colony-stimulating factor
RANKL is released from osteoblast lineage cells.
This them binds to its receptor (RANK), found on immature and mature osteoclasts
- leads to maturation of prefusion osteoclasts to multinucleated osteoclasts and finally to activated osteoclasts
So basically RANKL allows osteoclast activation
How are osteoblasts stimulated to produce RANK ligands?
PTH
TNF
IL-1
Vitamin D