EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Osteocytes, the cells residing within the bone matrix and comprising 90% to 95% of the all bone cells, have long been considered quiescent bystander cells compared to the osteoblasts and osteoclasts whose activities cause bone gain and loss, and whose dysfunction lead to growth defects and osteoporosis.

Detailed explanation-2: -Osteocytes are derived from mesenchymal stem cells through osteoblast differentiation. Their entrapment within the bone matrix is possibly an active process and an embedment in neighbor osteoid forming osteoblasts (Bonewald, 2011).

Detailed explanation-3: -osteocyte, which is the primary mature bone cell.

Detailed explanation-4: -Location: Osteocytes are located in the lacunae and their cytoplasmic extensions travel through canaliculi to communicate with neighboring osteocytes. Structure: Each osteocyte is stellate shaped, which means it has processes (or extensions) that radiate out from its cell body.

Detailed explanation-5: -Osteocytes are cells inside the bone. As osteoblasts mature, they become osteocytes. Osteoblasts turn into osteocytes while the new bone is being formed, and the osteocytes then get surrounded by the new bone.