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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...

Bone Cells and Tissue

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...

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.

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...

Hormones and Bone Tissue

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...

The Extracellular Matrix

The Extracellular Matrix

Overview
In order to maintain tissue organization, many animal cells are surrounded by structural molecules that make up the extracellular matrix (ECM). Together, the molecules in the ECM maintain the structural integrity of tissue as well as the remarkable specific properties of certain tissues.
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The extracellular matrix (ECM) is commonly composed of ground substance, a gel-like fluid, fibrous components, and many structurally and functionally diverse...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

A RANKL-based Osteoclast Culture Assay of Mouse Bone Marrow to Investigate the Role of mTORC1 in Osteoclast Formation

A RANKL-based Osteoclast Culture Assay of Mouse Bone Marrow to Investigate the Role of mTORC1 in Osteoclast Formation

Published on: March 15, 2018

Matrix-embedded cells control osteoclast formation.

Jinhu Xiong¹, Melda Onal, Robert L Jilka

¹Center for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.

Nature Medicine

|September 13, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Hypertrophic chondrocytes and osteocytes, not osteoblasts, are key sources of RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand). This RANKL controls bone resorption and remodeling, challenging current bone biology understanding.

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A Simple Pit Assay Protocol to Visualize and Quantify Osteoclastic Resorption In Vitro

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Last Updated: May 29, 2026

A RANKL-based Osteoclast Culture Assay of Mouse Bone Marrow to Investigate the Role of mTORC1 in Osteoclast Formation

A RANKL-based Osteoclast Culture Assay of Mouse Bone Marrow to Investigate the Role of mTORC1 in Osteoclast Formation

Published on: March 15, 2018

A Simple Pit Assay Protocol to Visualize and Quantify Osteoclastic Resorption In Vitro

A Simple Pit Assay Protocol to Visualize and Quantify Osteoclastic Resorption In Vitro

Published on: June 16, 2022

Area of Science:

Bone biology
Cell signaling
Skeletal remodeling

Background:

Osteoclasts resorb bone matrices, a process crucial for skeletal homeostasis.
Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) is essential for osteoclastogenesis and traditionally linked to osteoblasts.
The precise cellular sources of RANKL regulating bone resorption remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify the essential cellular sources of RANKL that control bone resorption and remodeling in adult mice.
To investigate the role of osteocyte-derived RANKL in bone loss during unloading.

Main Methods:

Utilized a conditional RANKL deletion mouse model.
Employed various Cre-deleter strains to target RANKL expression in specific cell types.
Assessed the impact on mineralized cartilage resorption and bone remodeling.

Main Results:

Hypertrophic chondrocytes and osteocytes were identified as critical sources of RANKL.
Osteocyte RANKL is essential for bone loss induced by unloading.
RANKL derived from osteoblasts or their progenitors does not significantly contribute to adult bone remodeling.

Conclusions:

Matrix-embedded cells, specifically hypertrophic chondrocytes and osteocytes, are the primary regulators of RANKL-mediated bone resorption.
Osteoblasts are not the essential source of RANKL for adult bone remodeling, challenging established paradigms.
These findings highlight a novel mechanism controlling the rate-limiting step of matrix resorption.