Hormonal regulation of bone growth/remodeling – During infancy, the most important
stimulus of activity at the Epiphyseal plate is growth hormone released by the pituitary gland. Sex hormones (testosterone and estrogen) promote growth spurts which aid in longitudinal growth (growth spurts). Bone remodeling is the deposit and resorption of bone, where packages of adjacent osteoblasts and osteoclasts called remodeling units coordinate it. PTH is the primary hormone that regulates this, along with calcitonin. 2. How does vigorous exercise affect bone structure? – Bottom line, with more vigorous exercise, bones will become stronger. When I bone is stressed often, its anatomy will reflect that. 3. Common types of bone fractures – Comminuted: bone fragments into three or more pieces. Compression: bone is crushed. Spiral: Ragged break occurs when excessive twisting forces are applied to a bone. Epiphyseal: Epiphysis separates from the diaphysis along the epiphyseal plate. Depressed: broken bone portion is pressed inward. Greenstick: Bone breaks incompletely, like a green twig. 4. How does bone repair a substantial fracture – a. A hematoma forms – a hematoma, a mass of clotted blood, forms and the bone tissue at the site becomes swollen and painful b. Fibrocartilaginous callus forms – soft granulation tissue forms, aka soft callus. Meanwhile, fibroblasts and cartilage and osteogenic cells invade the site and form the fibrocartilaginous callus. c. Bony callus forms – new bone trabeculae form and convert the fibro callus to a bony callus, made of spongy bone. d. Bone remodeling occurs – Bony callus is remodeled. Compact bone is laid down to reconstruct shaft walls, and the final structure resembles the original unbroken region because it responds to the same stresses. 5. What is osteoporosis and how is it treated? – Bone resorption outpaces bone deposit. Bones become so fragile that a sneeze or stepping off a curb can break them. It’s treated with calcium and vitamin D supplements, weight bearing exercises, and Hormone replacement therapy. 6. Birth to Young Adulthood – At birth most long bones are ossified except epiphyses. Secondary ossification centers develop after birth and epiphyseal pates persist and provide long bone growth and sex hormones aid in that too. By age 25, all bones are completely ossified. 7. In children, bone formation exceeds bone resorption. In young adults the process is in balance, and in old age, resorption predominates. Genetics determines how much bone density will change. In old age osteons remain incompletely formed, mineralization is less complete, and the amount of nonviable bone increases due to a diminished blood supply.