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Osteoblast
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The osteoblast is the cell that builds bone. In fact it is the cell directly responsible for osteogenesis, which is the word for the formation of new bone.
It does its work in two stages. First it makes and lays down osteoid, which is the organic matrix of bone: a mesh of proteins that is not hard yet. That mesh then mineralizes, that is, the mineral that gives it stiffness is deposited on top of it. It puts down the protein scaffold first, and the mineral arrives on top. This happens in the skeleton that is forming during growth, but also throughout life, because bone is being remodeled continuously.
The osteoblast also gives instructions to its counterpart. The cell that does the opposite, the osteoclast, resorbs bone, that is, breaks it down. The osteoblast indirectly regulates the formation of those osteoclasts, through direct contact with them and short-range chemical signals. The cell that builds is also the one that regulates the cell that breaks down.
In brief
The osteoblast is the cell that builds bone and is directly responsible for osteogenesis.
It synthesizes and lays down osteoid, the organic bone matrix that mineralizes afterward, both in the developing skeleton and in the continuous remodeling that goes on for life.
It puts down the protein scaffold first, and the mineral arrives on top.
It also indirectly regulates the formation of the osteoclast, the cell that resorbs bone, through cell contact and paracrine signaling.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingHistology, Osteoblasts, StatPearlsPublished
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