Anatomy and Ultrastructure of Bone – Histogenesis, Growth and Remodeling

Bones have three major functions: to serve as mechanical support, sites of muscle insertion and as a reserve of calcium and phosphate for the organism. Recently, a fourth function has been attributed to the skeleton: an endocrine organ. The organic matrix of bone is formed mostly of collagen, but also non-collagenous proteins. Hydroxyapatite crystals bind to both types of proteins. Most components of the bone matrix are synthesized and secreted by osteoblasts. Resorption of the bone matrix is required for adaptation to growth, repair and mineral mobilization. This process is performed by the macrophage-related osteoclast. Bone is remodeled throughout life through a coordinated sequence of events which involve the sequential actions of osteoclasts and osteoblasts, replacing old bone with new bone. In the normal adult skeleton, remodeling is coupled such that the level of resorption is equal to the level of formation and bone density remains constant. Intramembranous ossification is the process by which flat bones are formed. For this process, osteoblasts differentiate directly from mesenchymal cells to form the bone matrix. Long bones are formed by endochondral ossification, which is characterized by the presence of a cartilaginous model in which chondrocytes differentiate and mineralized cartilage is replaced with bone through remodeling. For complete coverage of all related areas of Endocrinology, please visit our on-line FREE web-text, WWW.ENDOTEXT.ORG.