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Related Concept Videos

Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling01:31

Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling

Osteoclasts are cells responsible for bone resorption and remodeling. They originate from hematopoietic progenitor cells present in the bone marrow. Numerous progenitor cells fuse to form multinucleated cells, each with 10-20 nuclei. A single osteoclast has a diameter of 150 to 200 µM. These cells have ruffled borders that break down the underlying bone tissue and release minerals such as calcium into the blood in bone resorption. Osteoclasts cling to bones with their ruffled edges during bone...
Bone Remodeling01:40

Bone Remodeling

Bone remodeling is a continuous and balanced process of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. In adults, it helps maintain bone mass and calcium homeostasis. While mechanical stress can stimulate turnover as part of the normal maintenance and reparative process, several hormones also regulate bone remodeling.
Hormones and Bone Tissue01:17

Hormones and Bone Tissue

The endocrine system produces and secretes hormones, which interact with the skeletal system. These hormones control bone growth, maintain bone once it is formed, and remodel it.
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Bone Disorders01:29

Bone Disorders

Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Bone Cells and Tissue01:30

Bone Cells and Tissue

Bones contain a relatively small number of cells entrenched in a matrix of organic and inorganic components. Although bone cells compose only a small amount of the bone volume, they are crucial to its function. Four types of cells are found within the bone tissue— osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteogenic cells, and osteoclasts.
Osteoblasts and Osteocytes
The osteoblast is the bone cell responsible for forming new bone tissue. It is found in the growing portions of bone, including the periosteum and...
Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis01:21

Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis

Calcium is not only the most abundant mineral in bone but also the most abundant mineral in the human body. Calcium ions are needed for bone mineralization, tooth health, heart rate regulation and strength of contraction, blood coagulation, the contraction of smooth and skeletal muscle cells, and the regulation of nerve impulse conduction. The average calcium level in the blood is about 10 mg/dL. When the body cannot maintain this level, a person will experience hypo or hypercalcemia.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Osteoclast Derivation from Mouse Bone Marrow
06:17

Osteoclast Derivation from Mouse Bone Marrow

Published on: November 6, 2014

Estrogen and bone: osteoclasts take center stage.

Deborah V Novack1

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. novack@wustl.edu

Cell Metabolism
|October 3, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Estrogen loss causes osteoporosis, but the cellular target was unclear. Researchers found estrogen directly triggers osteoclast apoptosis (programmed cell death) by targeting estrogen receptor alpha.

Area of Science:

  • Bone biology
  • Endocrinology
  • Cellular biology

Background:

  • Menopause-induced estrogen loss is a major cause of osteoporosis in women.
  • The specific cellular mechanisms and targets of estrogen in bone metabolism remain incompletely understood.
  • Osteoclasts are critical cells involved in bone resorption, and their regulation is key to bone health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the specific cellular target of estrogen responsible for its effects on bone metabolism.
  • To investigate the role of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in osteoclast function and survival.
  • To elucidate the direct cellular mechanisms by which estrogen influences bone remodeling.

Main Methods:

  • Selective ablation of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) specifically in osteoclasts using genetic models.

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Estrogen-Like Effect of Bazi Bushen Capsule in Ovariectomized Rats
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Estrogen-Like Effect of Bazi Bushen Capsule in Ovariectomized Rats

Published on: April 7, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Osteoclast Derivation from Mouse Bone Marrow
06:17

Osteoclast Derivation from Mouse Bone Marrow

Published on: November 6, 2014

Estrogen-Like Effect of Bazi Bushen Capsule in Ovariectomized Rats
08:56

Estrogen-Like Effect of Bazi Bushen Capsule in Ovariectomized Rats

Published on: April 7, 2023

  • Analysis of bone structure and turnover markers in mice with targeted ERα deletion in osteoclasts.
  • Assessment of osteoclast apoptosis rates in response to estrogen treatment.

    • Main Results:

    • Estrogen directly induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in osteoclasts.
    • Selective deletion of ERα in osteoclasts abrogated the effects of estrogen on osteoclast survival.
    • This demonstrates that osteoclasts are a direct cellular target of estrogen in regulating bone homeostasis.

    Conclusions:

    • Estrogen receptor alpha in osteoclasts is a critical mediator of estrogen's protective effects on bone.
    • Targeting osteoclast ERα may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for preventing or treating osteoporosis.
    • These findings clarify a key cellular mechanism underlying estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss.