- any of the large multinucleate cells in bone which absorb or break down bony tissue
- an instrument used to perform osteoclasis
Origin of osteoclast
from osteo- + Classical Greek klastos: see clasticosteoclast
os·te·o·clastWebster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"osteoclast." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/osteoclast>.
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osteoclast. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/osteoclast
osteoclast
noun
- A large multinucleate cell found in growing bone that resorbs bony tissue, as in the formation of canals and cavities.
- An instrument used in surgical osteoclasis.
Origin of osteoclast
osteo- Medieval Latin -clastēs breaker ( from Late Greek -klastēs ) ( from Greek klastos broken ) ( from klān to break )Related Forms:
- os′te·o·clas′tic
adjective
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"osteoclast." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/osteoclast>.
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osteoclast. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/osteoclast
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.
See also osteoblast
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"osteoclast." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/osteoclast>.
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osteoclast. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/osteoclast
Noun
(plural osteoclasts)
- (physiology, cytology) A large multinuclear cell associated with the resorption of bone
- An instrument for performing osteoclasis.
Origin
osteo- (“bone") +"Ž -clast (“break")
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
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"osteoclast." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/osteoclast>.
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osteoclast. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/osteoclast
osteoclast - Medical Definition
n.
- A large multinucleate cell found in growing bone that resorbs bony tissue, as in the formation of canals and cavities.
- An instrument used in surgical osteoclasis.
Related Forms:
- os′te·o·clas′tic
adj.
The American Heritage Dictionary of Medicine © 2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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MLA Style
"osteoclast." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/osteoclast>.
APA Style
osteoclast. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/osteoclast
