The vertebrate skeleton is an amazing organ system. It pleases one by its exquisite architectural and engineering beauty. It impresses by its strength and remarkable adaptability. It is a veritable beehive of cellular activities:it is constantly being remodeled by the concerted action of bone-resorbing and bone-making cells, and its marrow compartment serves as a factory for several lines of blood cells and adult stem cells. It is a storage facility for Ca2+ and plays an essential role in maintaining Ca2+homeostasis in our bodies. It can fascinate and delight: a trip to any natural history museum with a group of preschoolers or kindergarten children to examine dinosaur skeletons almost never fails to generate excitement. Yet, it can also generate fear as a reminder of our `return to dust', and can elicit deep concerns as we age and its internal structure slowly becomes osteoporotic and more fragile.
The understanding...
