Bones

Bones
what are bones?A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the vertebrate skeleton in animals. Bones protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, and enable mobility.

How does our body make bone ? Bones begin life as cartilage. As the young baby develops in the mother's womb, the skeletal system becomes organised into a framework of cartilage. Before birth, there is a certain amount of hardening of the limb bones to allow the animal to stand shortly after delivery. However, the greater part of the skeleton is cartilage at birth. After birth, hardening of all parts of the skeleton begins. This process continues throughout life until, in old age, very little cartilage is left and the bones are old and brittle. The process of hardening cartilage into bone is called ossification.

How do they grow/repair? Throughout life, bone is constantly being replaced in the process of bone remodelling. In this process, osteoclasts resorb bone, and osteoblasts make newbone to replace it. Bone remodelling shapes the skeleton, repairs tiny flaws in bones, and helps maintain mineral homeostasis in the blood.