1.

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.