Osteocytes are mature bone cells that maintain the mineral content of the surrounding bone matrix. They are derived from osteoblasts and reside in small cavities called lacunae.
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Osteocytes communicate with each other and other bone cells through long cytoplasmic extensions in tiny channels called canaliculi.
They play a crucial role in the maintenance, repair, and turnover of the mineral content of bone.
Osteocytes can live for decades within the bone matrix, making them some of the longest-living cells in the body.
These cells help regulate calcium levels by releasing signals to osteoclasts and osteoblasts during bone remodeling.
The transformation from osteoblast to osteocyte involves the cell becoming completely surrounded by its own secreted matrix.