What Are Osteoclasts?
Originally a term for an instrument used to break bone during surgery, an osteoclast is now known as one of two primary cell types the human body uses in the creation and maintenance of bones. Osteoblasts are the cells that actually create bone; osteoclasts are the cells that resorb, or break down and absorb, bone tissue back into the body. Osteoclasts are highly specialized cells that must work in perfect synchronization with osteoblasts to maintain the skeletal system. Osteoclasts themselves are very large cells, formed from the conjoining of several cells created by the bone marrow that travel in the circulatory system. As a result of this conjoining, osteoclasts are known as multinucleate cells, meaning that each cell has multiple nuclei. The average osteoclast has anywhere from five to 20 nuclei, although osteoclasts with up to 200 nuclei are possible. Osteoclasts can generally be found in tiny pits along the bone’s surface. These pits, which are formed by the action of osteoclast
