Bone Metabolism Flashcards
What are the normal types of bone?
Lamellar - cortical/compact and cancellous/trabecular/ spongy
Woven
When is woven bone seen? (3)
In children
Healing from a fracture
Pathology
How much of total bone mass of an adult is compact bone?
80%
How does the surface area of trabecular bone compare to compact bone?
10x greater
Describe the organisation of woven bone.
Why is this beneficial? What is the disadvantage?
Random collagen organisation
Forms quickly but it is mechanically weak
What are the three broad components of bone matrix?
35-40% organic
60% inorganic
5% water
What makes up the organic part of bone matrix? (3)
Type 1 collagen (triple helix = 10nm)
Proteoglycans
Growth factors/cytokines/osteoid
What is the purpose of the collagen?
What about the proteoglycans?
Tensile strength
Compressive strength
What makes up the organic part of bone matrix?
Calcium hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) (crystal = 500nm)
What cells are found in bone? (4)
Osteoprogenitor cell
Osteoblast
Osteocyte
Osteoclast
What are the reasons for remodelling?
1) renews bone before deterioration
2) redistributes bone matrix along mechanical stress lines.
When bone is remodelled, why is it initially trabecular bone?
3-10 times quicker than cortical bone
Larger surface area
Responds to stresses on bone quicker
What cells sense mechanical stress of bone?
What does the death of these cells signal?
Osteocytes
Remodelling
What secretes sclerostin (glycoprotein) and what does this do?
Osteocytes
Inhibits bone formation by osteoblasts.
PTH and mechanical stress
What inhibits sclerostin? (2)
What increases it?
Inhibited by PTH and mechanical stress
Increased by calcitonin
What is the antibody to sclerostin currently in clinical trials called? What does it do?
Romosozumab
Increase bone density
What is EphrinB2?
Where is EphrinB4 receptor expressed?
What does this do?
Ligand expressed by osteoclasts
On osteoblasts
Generates bidirectional anti-osteoclastogenic and pro-osteoblastogenic signals. Inhibits osteoclast precursor differentiation and enhances osteoblast differentation.
What increased ephrinB2 expression?
PTH
What are the processes of bone remodelling? (6)
- Osteoclast attaches to bone forming leak proof seal
- Protein-digesting enzymes breakdown collagen fibres
- Acid dissolves bone minerals
- Bone proteins and minerals (mainly Ca2+) cross osteoclast to exit into interstitial fluid.
- Osteoblasts fill lacuna with osteoid.
- Osteoid is mineralised approx. 1 week later
Outline the process of bone remodelling. How long doest the process take?
The osteocytes stimulate the osteoclast precursors to differentiate into osteoclasts. These are activated and then they resorb the bone. The osteoblasts then fill these lacuna with osteoid, which is then mineralised.
3-4 months
What cells FORM bone?
What cells RESORB bone?
Osteoblasts
Osteoclasts
How much of the calcium in the body is in the skeleton?
99.9%
What does the maintenance of normal serum calcium depends on? (3)
Intestinal absorption
Renal excretion
Skeletal mobilisation
What does the serum calcium level have to be regulated between?
2.2 - 2.6mmol L (8.5-10.5 mg/dL)