Osteocyte

1. Osteocyte Osteocyte is the main cell in mature bone tissue, which is derived from bone marrow cells. When the new bone matrix is calcified, the cells are embedded therein. At this point, the cell's synthesis activity stops, and the cytoplasm decreases to become a bone cell. Bone cells can produce a new matrix, change the crystal fluid, so that the bone tissue calcium and phosphorus deposition maintain blood calcium balance. Osteocytes play a role in bone resorption and bone formation and are the principal cells for maintaining the metabolism of mature bone. release in a stable state to The cellular components of bone tissue include osteocytes, osteogenic cells, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts. Only bone cells exist in the bone tissue, and the other three cells are located at the edge of the bone tissue. The osteocytes are oval-shaped, multi-protuberant cells, and contain a single nucleus that is located toward the vascular side and has one or two nucleoli and a membrane. Under the electron microscope, there were a few lysosomes, mitochondria, and rough endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm, and the Golgi complex was also underdeveloped. Bone cells are sandwiched between adjacent two layers of bone plates or dispersed within the bone plate. There are gap junctions between the projections of adjacent bone cells. In the bone matrix, the small oval cavity occupied by the bone cell body is called the bone lacunae, and the space where the protrusions are located is called the bony canaliculus. Adjacent bone lacunae are interconnected by bone canals. Therefore, osteocytes form an extensive connecting syncytium network via small cytoplasmic/dendritic processes in canaliculi. https://www.creative-diagnostics.com/osteocyte.htm