Cell
osteoclast
os·te·o·clast [ os-tee-uh-klast ]
Subclass of:
macrophage
Etymology:
Greek osteon = bone + klan = to break or destroy
Definitions related to osteoclasts:
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A large, multinucleated cell that secretes bone-degrading enzymes in the processes of normal bone remodeling and pathological bone loss. Osteoclasts are derived from macrophages.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Large multinuclear cell associated with the absorption and removal of bone.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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A large multinuclear cell associated with the BONE RESORPTION. An odontoclast, also called cementoclast, is cytomorphologically the same as an osteoclast and is involved in CEMENTUM resorption.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Cells that remove bone tissue.Harvard Dictionary of Health TermsHarvard Medical Publishing, 2011
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Osteoclast, large multinucleated cell responsible for the dissolution and absorption of bone. Bone is a dynamic tissue that is continuously being broken down and restructured in response to such influences as structural stress and the body's requirement for calcium. The osteoclasts are the...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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