Bones Flashcards
Bone functions
Mechanical
-protect tissues/organs; provide framework; form bases of levers
Synthetic
-haemopoiesis
Metabolic
-mineral storage (calcium and phosphorus); fat storage (yellow bone marrow); acid-base homeostasis (absorbs or releases alkaline salts)
Cancellous bone
Network of fine bony columns or plates called trabeculae, spaces are filled by bone marrow.
Aka spongy bone.
Compact bone
Forms the external surfaces of names bones and comprises 80% of body’s skeletal mass.
Aka cortical bone.
Endochondral ossification
Formation of long bones from cartilage template; continued lengthening is by ossification of at epiphyseal plates.
Appositional growth (growth from middle to edges).
Intra-membranous ossification
Formation of bone from clusters of mesenchymal stem cells in the centre of bone.
Interstitial growth (growth in middle).
Appositional growth
Growth from middle to edges
Interstitial growth
Growth in the middle
Epiphyseal plates
Boundary between bone and cartilage
Osteoblasts
Cells that form new bone tissue. They synthesise and secrete bone matrix - collagen and ground substance
They are involved in bone formation and bone remodelling.
Osteoclasts
They break down bone using acid and lysosomes for bone remodelling. They absorb what they remove.
They are bigger, multinucleated and are usually found near a depression of bone.
Osteocytes
Former osteoblasts that have been trapped in bone matrix. They sit in lacunae.
When 2 osteocytes meet they form gap junctions.
They are involved in the regulation of bone remodelling and regulate mineral homeostasis.
They can act like osteoclasts and degrade the bone a little - called osteocytic osteolysis.
Lacunae
The extra-cellular matrix that surrounds a cell (eg osteocytes, chondrocytes).
Periosteum
Membrane outside the bone.
Mesenchymal tissue
Undifferentiated connective tissue in the bone marrow. They can differentiate into cells such as osteoblasts.
Osteoid
Made of mainly collagen 1 as well as hydroxyapatite. Secreted by osteoblasts.
Hydroxyapatite
Part of osteoid laid down by osteoblasts; contains the minerals calcium and phosphate.
Spicules
Bony spurs.
Trabeculae
Form when spicules join up. Rod-like structures making up bone.
Endostium
Where the bone touches the edge of periosteum.
Osteoprogenitor cells
Stem cells in bone that are precursors to more specialised cells, osteoblasts and osteoclasts.
Cement line
Where osteoid meets existing bone.
How is cancellous bone converted to cortical bone?
- Mesenchymal stem cells —> osteoblasts that line recently formed trabecuae.
- They lay down osteoid that is mineralised.
- Osteoblasts become trapped and turn into osteocytes.
- This repeats as concentric lamellae are laid down by osteoblasts.
- Central MSC convert into blood vessels, lymph vessels and nerves.
This occurs from the inside of bone and grows further inwards.