BONE

STRUCTURE & COMPOSITION OF BONE

Bone is a specialized connective tissue of mesodermal origin. It consists of (1) Bone matrix, (2) Bone
mineral, (3) Water. Bone matrix is composed of (1) Collagen (95%) & (2) Ground substance (5%) which
includes mucopolysaccharides and other substances. The mineral portion contains calcium (99% of total body
calcium), predominantly in the form of calcium hydroxyapatite and small quantities of other minerals (Mg, Na,
Strontium).
There are two types of bones in the skeleton: (1) compact cortical bone (constitutes 80% of bone mass but
20% of bone volume): composed of a number of longitudinally oriented semicylindrical units called Haversian
system, (2) spongy trabecular bone (20% of bone mass but 80% of bone volume): composed of a meshwork
of primary (longitudinal) and secondary (transverse) trabeculae with bone marrow present in spaces in
between the trabeculae. Bones in axial skeleton (vertebra, ribs, skull, iliac bones) and ends of long bones have a
greater proportion of trabecular bone.
Microscopically the newly formed bone is primarily of two types: Lamellar bone, Woven bone. Lamellar bone
is formed in an orderly sequential manner during process of normal modeling & remodelling and consists of
alternating layers of crossed-linked collagen fibers. Woven bone (primitive bone) is formed on existing bone
surfaces during normal bone remodelling or in areas of fibrous tissue condensation by osteoblasts that rapidly
deposit collagen fibers in a haphazard fashion. Matrix calcification follows in a diffuse but spotty manner in
woven bone.

BONE MODELLING & REMODELLING

Bone modeling is a dynamic process resulting from spatial drifts of individual bone surfaces that undergo
continuous bone formation, resorption and reshaping. The end-result is the normal shape of a tubular bone,
narrowest in the shaft and widened toward the ends. Normal modeling process can be disturbed in various
pathological conditions. Excessive narrowing of the shaft with more flaring of at the end is called
overtubulation. Excessive width of shaft as well as metaphyses is called undertubulation.
Throughout life cortical and trabecular bones are remodeled in small pockets of coordinated cellular activity
causing removal of existing bone and deposition of varying amounts of new lamellar bone. Normal bone
remodelling helps to maintain mechanical strength of the skeleton and contributes to calcium homeostasis.

OSTEOSCLEROSIS & HYPEROSTOSIS

Osteosclerosis is used to denote an increase in radiodensity of trabecular bone, and the term hyperostosis is
used to describe an increase in width of cortex of tubular bones or flat bones with or without an increase in their
external diameter. Osteosclerosis and/or hyperostosis can result from a reduction in bone resorption, an increase
in bone formation or changes in the ratio of these two determinants of bone modeling/remodelling, with net
bone formation exceeding bone resorption.