osteoclast
Americannoun
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Cell Biology. one of the large multinuclear cells in growing bone concerned with the absorption of osseous tissue, as in the formation of canals.
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Surgery. an instrument for effecting osteoclasis.
noun
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a surgical instrument for fracturing bone
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a large multinuclear cell formed in bone marrow that is associated with the normal absorption of bone
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A specialized bone cell that absorbs bone, allowing for the deposition of new bone and maintenance of bone strength. Osteoclasts secrete enyzmes that dissolve the matrix of old bone tissue and acids that dissolve bone salts, which contain calcium and phosphorus. Except in growing bone, the rate of bone deposition and bone absorption equal each other so that bone mass remains constant. A mass of osteoclasts absorbs bone from the outer surfaces inward for about three weeks. The osteoclasts are then converted into osteoblasts that form new bone to fill in the cavities.
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See also osteoblast
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of osteoclast
1870–75; osteo- + -clast < Greek klastós broken
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We also showed bone resorption by osteoclast is defected in doble knock mouse" says co-senior author of the second paper, Shiou-ling Lu.
From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2023
Rab38 was found to be elevated during differentiation into osteoclast.
From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2023
"To better understand the molecular mechanisms of osteoclast function, we first screened Rab proteins especially induced during osteoclast formation in mouse."
From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2023
"We revealed Rab32 and Rab38 engaged organelle, LRO, is important for bone resorption by osteoclast."
From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2023
An osteoblast engaged in the absorption instead of the formation of bone is called an osteoclast.
From Text Book of Biology, Part 1: Vertebrata by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
