Unit 13 - Bone disorders Flashcards
What are 5 functions of the skeletal system?
- Structural support
- Storage of minerals and lipids
- Blood cell production
- Protection of delicate tissues and organs
- Leverage
What are the two components of bone?
- Cells (only 2% of composition!)
2. Matrix
What are the two different materials of the bone matrix?
- Hydroxyapatite (66%)
2. Collagen fibres (33%)
What is the role of hydroxyapatite in the bone matrix?
Makes bones rigid
What is the role of collagen fibres in the bone matrix?
Provides flexibility to bone
- prevents bones from snapping
True or False:
When we are young, there is a lot more hydroxyapatite compared to collagen fibres
False
- there is more collagen fibres in bones when we are young compared to hydroxyapatite
What are the 4 cells of bone tissue?
- Osteoblasts
- Osteocytes
- Osteoclasts
- Osteoprogenitor cells
What cells produce hydroxyapatite?
Osteoblasts
What are osteoprogenitor cells?
Stem cells
What is the functional role of osteoblasts?
- Form bone through ossification or osteogensis
2. Secrete collagen and hydroxyapatite (mainly this)
What are osteocytes and what do they do?
Mature bone cells
- make small amounts of matrix to maintain it
What kind of bone cell matures to form osteocytes?
Osteoblasts
What are osteoclasts related to? Why?
Related to macrophages (WBCs)
- secrete acids and enzymes in order to break down bone
What kind of bone cell is HUGE and is multi-nucleated?
Osteoclasts
What are osteoclasts derived from?
Monocytes
What is the function of osteoclasts?
Breakdown (resorption) of bone
What is broken down by acids and what is broken down by enzymes?
Hydroxyapatite = broken down by acids
Collagen fibres = broken down by enzymes
What are the stem cells of bone cells?
Osteoprogenitor cells
What do osteoprogenitor cells differentiate into?
Osteoblasts
True or False:
Bones are not highly vascularized (ie - they don’t have a lot of blood supply)
False
- bones ARE highly vascularized
- they have a LARGE blood supply
What is the periosteum?
Sheath around bones
- it has two layers
What is the endosteum?
Lines all the internal spaces of the bone
- contains same cells as periosteum
What are the 3 key hormones that are involved in the regulation of bone growth and remodeling?
- Parathyroid hormone
- Vitamin D
- Calcitonin
What do you need to have in order to absorb calcium in the GI tract?
Vitamin D
What is the process of vitamin D activation?
- Vitamin D synthesis in skin
- Then in liver
- Then in kidneys
When is parathyroid hormone released?
When blood calcium levels become too low
What are the three ways that parathyroid hormone increases blood calcium levels?
- From bone = release of calcium from bone
- From kidneys = increases reabsorption
- From intestines = promotes absorption via activated vitamin D
True or False:
African people have low levels of vitamin D
True
Why would someone have weak bones if they had a lung tumor that secreted parathyroid hormone?
High levels of PTH in circulation stimulates osteoclasts to break down bone
- bones are weak (thinning)
Why would someone in complete kidney failure have weak bone?
Kidneys produce ACTIVE vitamin D
- if the kidney function is suffering, production of active vitamin D is suffering
- if active vitamin D is low = low absorption of calcium
- low calcium = weak bones (b/c of low deposition of calcium into bone)
What is released from the thyroid gland when blood calcium is too high?
Calcitonin
What function does calcitonin perform?
Inhibits the release of calcium from bone
- reduces osteoclast activity
When is calcitonin most active?
In children
- when bones are growing
Why does calcitonin inhibit vitamin D activation by the kidneys and inhibit calcium reabsorption by the kidneys?
Calcitonin is released by blood calcium levels are HIGH
- therefore, it decreases overall blood calcium levels by preventing the absorption of new calcium and preventing the reaborption by the kidneys
When is bone mass the highest?
Around 30
True or False:
Men have denser bones than females
True
- due to testosterone and greater weight
True or False:
The smaller the force on bone, the greater the increase in bone mass
False
- the greater the stress, the greater the increase in bone mass
How do we measure bone density?
By getting an xray
- Score = -1, considered normal
- Score = -2.5 < -1 = osteopenia
- Score = < -2.5 = osteoporosis
Define osteoporosis
Absolute reduction of the total bone mass