MEDICAL PHYSIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -An osteoclast (from Ancient Greek (osteon) ‘bone’, and (clastos) ‘broken’) is a type of bone cell that breaks down bone tissue. This function is critical in the maintenance, repair, and remodeling of bones of the vertebral skeleton.

Detailed explanation-2: -Bone remodelling relies on the correct function of two principal cells of the bone tissue: the osteoclasts, multinucleated cells that destroy the bone matrix, and the osteoblasts, having osteogenic functions.

Detailed explanation-3: -Osteoclasts are the cells that degrade bone to initiate normal bone remodeling and mediate bone loss in pathologic conditions by increasing their resorptive activity. They are derived from precursors in the myeloid/monocyte lineage that circulate in the blood after their formation in the bone marrow.

Detailed explanation-4: -It is considered to be a multifactorial disease potentially caused by genetic mutations, endocrine disorders, and nutritional deficiency. Hormones, such as estrogen, calcitonin, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and vitamin D, act to maintain the normal bone metabolism (23).