University of Tripoli

Faculty of Medicine
Histology & Genetics Department
HS141
Histology of Bone (Chapter 8)
Part I
Instructor: Dr. Sassia Omar
 Introduction
❑ Bone is a special type of supporting connective tissue, which has a hard, mineralized, extracellular matrix
containing osteocytes embedded in the matrix.
❑ Bone is calcified and, hence, is harder and stronger than cartilage.
❑ It has many blood vessels penetrating the tissue.
C. T. is classified according to type of matrix
 Bone

Bone is a type of specialized C.T. with a calcified extracellular

matrix.

Bone contains:
❖ cells
❖ fibers
❖ matrix
 Components of Bone
1. Bone Cells.

2. Calcified Matrix:
1. Organic part – collagen fibers other proteins
2. Inorganic part – calcium and phosphours

3. Bone membranes:
1. Periosteum (the outer covering).
2. Endosteum (the inner layer facing the Marrow Cavity).
 Bone Cells
Four types of cells are found in Bone.

1. Osteoprogenitor (osteogenic) cells (or stem cells of bone)

2. Osteoblasts (Bone Forming Cells)

3. Osteocytes ( Mature Bone Cells)

4. Osteoclasts (Bone Resorbing Cells)

Bone cells
 Osteoprogenitor cells

• Derived from mesenchymal stem cells, that is the precursor of an osteoblast.

• Osteogenic cells are the only bone cells that divide.

• Osteogenic cells differentiate and develop into osteoblasts which, in turn, are

responsible for forming new bone.

• Osteoprogenitor cells are located in the inner cellular layer of the periosteum

and the endosteum.

 Osteoblasts
• Osteoblasts are bone forming cells.
• They originate from osteoprogenitor cells.
• They synthesize unmineralized bone matrix (Osteoid) and Alkaline
Phosphatase that bring about mineralization of osteoid to become calcified
matrix.
• Active osteoblasts are cuboidal or polygonal in shape and aggregate into a single
layer of cells lying in apposition to the forming bone.
• Inactive osteoblasts are fusiform cells.
• they become trapped in their own secretions and differentiate into Osteocytes.
Osteogenic→Osteoblast→Osteocyte
 Osteocytes

• Osteocytes are mature bone cells and they are derived from Osteoblasts.

• Osteocytes are star shaped cells with fine cytoplasmic process.

• Osteocytes lie within small cavities called lacunae.

• Only one osteocyte is found in each lacuna.

• Responsible for maintaining the bone tissue

 Osteoclasts

• Osteoclasts are bone resorbing cells which is part of normal bone growth,
development, maintenance, and repair
• Osteoclasts are large multinucleated cells that are derived by the fusion in bone
of several blood-derived monocytes
• Found in close association with bone surface located in shallow grooves called
Howship Lacunae or a resorption bay.
•PM is deeply folded into a ruffled border where it contacts bone matrix.
• Osteoclasts secret Hydrogen ions (acidic environment to dissolve mineral matrix)
and lysosomal enzymes (metalloproteinases (MMP) digest organic matrix
Howship’s
Lacunae
Osteoclasts

HCO3−
 Bone Matrix
Bone matrix consists of two components:

1. organic components :

• Mainly type I collagen, type V, and other matrix proteins: glycoproteins(e.g. osteonectin
and osteocalcin) and proteoglycans (e.g. chondroitin sulfate and keratin sulfate). It is
found in the freshly produced bone matrix, osteoid (also called prebone),).

2. inorganic components :

• Calcium & phosphorus forming HYDROXYAPATITE CRYSTALS

[Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2]

• Calcium Carbonate: CaCO3

• Magnesium Hydroxide: Mg(OH)2 –

• Fluoride and Sulfate

 Bone Membranes

• Periosteum-double layered

(outer & inner)

• Endosteum-lines marrow
 Periosteum
• It's the outer covering of a bone.
• It consists of two layers :
• outer fibrous layer of dense connective tissue attached to a
bone by collagen fibers.
• inner cellular layer (Osteogenic layer) of osteoblasts and
osteoprogenitor cells.
• Function : bone formation and repair.
 Endosteum

• it's a layer of cells on the the internal

surface of bone facing the marrow
cavity.
• The cells are the osteoprogenitor cells,
osteoblasts, and osteoclasts.

• Function : Bone formation and repair.

 Classification of Bone Types

There are several ways to classify bone tissues.

I) Microscopically, bone can be classified as

1) primary bone (immature, or “woven” bone)

2) Secondary bone (mature, or lamellar bone).

Woven bone, newly calcified
Lamellar bone, remodeled from woven bone
 Classification of Bone Types
II) Mature bone can be classified as compact bone and cancellous bone based
on gross appearance and density of the bone. 2 types
1) Compact bone, also called cortical bone,
➢ has a much higher density and a well-organized osteon system.
➢ forms the outer shell of all bone and also the shafts in long bones.
2) Cancellous bone, also called spongy bone,
➢ has a much lower density and contains bony trabeculae or spicules with
intervening bone marrow.
➢ found at the expanded heads of long bones and fills most irregular bones
❖ Compact-dense, smooth,solid outer layer

❖ Spongy bone-honeycomblike; trabeculae

 Structure of Compact Bone
• The matrix of a compact bone
consists of REGULAR lamellae
(layers) of calcified type 1 collagen.
• The lamellae form parallel cylinders
called OSTEONS or HAVERSION
SYSTEMS.
• Osteons are found deeply in the
compact bone.
• The CONCENTRIC lamellae
forming the osteons are called
OSTEONAL LAMELLAE.
• Under the periosteum and
endosteum, the lamellae do not form
osteons and are called
CIRCUMFERENTIAL
LAMELLAE.
 Canals in a Compact Bone

• HARVERSIAN canal in the

centre of each osteon
contains blood vessels.
• VOLKMAN'S canals contain
blood vessels and connect
the harversion canals of
adjacent osteons.
• CANALICULI connect the
lacunae with Haversion
canals for nutrition of the
osteocytes.
Diagrammatic Representation of Compact Bone Structure
 Cancellous (Spongy) Bones
• The lamellae of spongy bone do
not form osteons.
• The lamellae form
INTERCONNECTED TRABECULAE.
• (Small pieces of bone).
• The lamellae in each Trabecula are
parallel to each other.
• The Trabeculae are separated by
bone marrow spaces lined by
endosteum.
• In Trabeculae, the canaliculi
connect lacunae to bone marrow
for nutrition of osteocytes.
 Classification of Bone Types
III) Classification of bone according to shape
 Microscopic Structure of Compact Bone
• Compact bone-has osteons

• Osteon-has Haversian system

• Haversion system- made up of:

• central canal,

Volkmann’s canal (perforating

canal),

lacunae,

osteocytes,

canaliculi
T. S. of compact bone
L. S. of compact bone
T. S. of compact bone
T. S. of compact bone
T. S. of compact bone
T. S. of compact bone