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Bone Disorders

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...

Compact Bone

Compact Bone

Most bones contain compact and spongy osseous tissue, but their distribution and concentration vary based on the bone's overall function.
Compact bone, also called cortical bone, is the denser, stronger of the two types of bone tissue. It is found under the periosteum and in the diaphyses of long bones, where it provides support and protection. The microscopic structural unit of compact bone is called an osteon, or haversian system. Each osteon is composed of concentric rings of calcified...

Skeleton and Calcium Homeostasis

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.

Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling

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...

The Bone Matrix

The Bone Matrix

Bone contains a relatively small number of cells entrenched in a matrix of collagen fibers that provide an adherent surface for inorganic salt crystals. Both components of the matrix, organic and inorganic, contribute to the unusual properties of bone. Without collagen, bones would be brittle and shatter easily. Without mineral crystals, bones would flex and provide little support. This can be observed by an experiment: when the minerals of a bone are dissolved by soaking the bone in acid or...

Bone Remodeling

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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

Bone density in competitive cyclists.

Tricia Beatty¹, David Webner, Steven J Collina

¹Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Upland, PA, USA.

Current Sports Medicine Reports

|November 12, 2010

Summary

Competitive cyclists may experience decreased bone density due to reduced bone loading and increased calcium loss. Maintaining bone loading is crucial for bone mineral density in athletes.

Area of Science:

Sports Medicine
Orthopedics
Exercise Physiology

Background:

Competitive cycling involves intense training, raising questions about bone health.
Osteopenia and osteoporosis are concerns for athletes in low-impact sports.
Understanding factors affecting bone mineral density in cyclists is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

To review current theories on osteopenia/osteoporosis in competitive cyclists.
To identify etiologies of decreased bone density in this population.

Main Methods:

Narrative review of published cross-sectional studies.
Aggregate data from multiple studies on competitive cyclists.

Main Results:

Bone mineral density correlates positively with lifetime bone loading.

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Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

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Bone mineral density decreases when loading is removed, even after previous gains.

Increased dermal calcium loss during exercise negatively correlates with bone mineral density.

Calcium supplementation effects on bone mineral density are inconclusive.

No correlation found between sex hormones and bone mineral density in cyclists.

Conclusions:

Reduced bone loading and increased dermal calcium loss are key factors in decreased bone mineral density in cyclists.
Preventative strategies should focus on optimizing bone loading and managing calcium balance.
Further research is needed to clarify the role of calcium supplementation and other factors.