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Related Concept Videos

Bone Cells and Tissue01:30

Bone Cells and Tissue

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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.
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Hormones and Bone Tissue01:17

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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.
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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...
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Bone Remodeling01:40

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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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The Bone Matrix01:18

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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...
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Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling01:31

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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...
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Bone as Supporting Connective Tissue01:23

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Bone tissue forms the internal skeleton of vertebrate animals, providing structure to the body.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 13, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring Advanced Therapeutic Targets in Osteosarcoma Through Spatial Transcriptomics
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The Osteocyte Transcriptome: Discovering Messages Buried Within Bone.

Natalie Ky Wee1, Natalie A Sims1,2, Roy Morello3,4,5

  • 1Bone Cell Biology and Disease Unit, St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, 9 Princes St, Fitzroy, 3065, Australia.

Current Osteoporosis Reports
|November 10, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Recent transcriptomic studies are revealing novel genes and signaling pathways in osteocytes, the cells within bone. Improved methods promise deeper insights into osteocyte function and identity within the skeleton.

Keywords:
BoneGene expressionOsteocyteRNAseqTranscriptome

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Area of Science:

  • Bone Biology
  • Genomics
  • Cellular Biology

Background:

  • Osteocytes, embedded within bone matrix, have incompletely defined functions and gene expression patterns.
  • Transcriptomics offers an unbiased approach to identify novel genes and signaling pathways in osteocytes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review methods for isolating osteocyte-rich cell populations.
  • To outline key transcriptomic studies on osteocytes under various conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Sample preparation techniques including digestion/sorting, laser capture microscopy, and cortical bone shaft isolation.
  • Transcriptomic analysis of osteocyte-containing bone tissue preparations.

Main Results:

  • Identification of previously unknown osteocyte-expressed genes.
  • Reported variations in osteocyte gene expression related to age, sex, location, mechanical loading, and bone strength defects.
  • Functional characterization of some newly identified transcripts.

Conclusions:

  • Current methods for osteocyte gene expression analysis present interpretation challenges.
  • Advancements in techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) are expected to enhance osteocyte research.
  • Future studies will provide valuable resources and new information on osteocyte identity and skeletal functions.