Osteoclast definition
A large multinucleate cell found in growing bone that resorbs bony tissue, as in the formation of canals and cavities.
noun
An instrument used in surgical osteoclasis.
noun
Any of the large multinucleate cells in bone which absorb or break down bony tissue.
noun
An instrument used to perform osteoclasis.
noun
A large multinucleate cell found in growing bone that resorbs bony tissue, as in the formation of canals and cavities.
noun
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An instrument used in surgical osteoclasis.
noun
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.
Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
osteoclast
Plural:
osteoclastsOrigin of osteoclast
- osteo– Medieval Latin -clastēs breaker (from Late Greek -klastēs) (from Greek klastos broken) (from klān to break)
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- osteo- (“bone") +"Ž -clast (“break")
From Wiktionary