ABSTRACT
Bone tissue is dense, mineralized and well-shaped connective tissue characterized by an organized association of specialized cellular elements, an arranged fibrous base, and an extracellular fluid space comprised of a complex multilevel system of interconnecting canals. All bone tissue components are interconnected in a specific manner and are quantitatively balanced. Its cellular elements are mesenchymal derivatives. Within the body, this type of tissue performs biomechanical (support and protection) functions and constitutes the basis of the bone, an organ of the locomotor system and a link in the functional system regulating the circulation of calcium levels in humans and animals. Three main types of bone tissue – reticulofibrous, rough fibrous and lamellar – may be distinguished, depending on the respective degree of maturity and the structural properties of fibrous matrix elements (Fig. 8.1).
