Bone Remodelling

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Bone is continuously remodelled at discrete sites in the skeleton in order to maintain the integrity of the tissue. during this process, old bone is resorbed by osteoclasts and replaced with new osteoid, secreted by osteoblasts. First osteoclasts are activated, and the resorption phase takes approximately 10 days. Followin resorption, unclassified macrophage-like cells are found at the remodelling site in the intermediate, or reversal phase. Osteoblast precursors are then recruited, which proliferate and differentiate into mature osteoblasts, before secreting new bone matrix. the matrix then mineralises to generate new bone and this completes the remodelling process.

© Biomedical Tissue Research, University of York