osteoclastic


os·te·o·clas·tic

(os'tē-ō-klas'tik), Pertaining to osteoclasts, especially with reference to their activity in the absorption and removal of osseous tissue.

os·te·o·clas·tic

(os'tē-ō-klas'tik) Pertaining to osteoclasts, especially with reference to their activity in the absorption and removal of osseous tissue.

osteoclast

(ŏs′tē-ō-klăst) [″ + klan, to break] 1. A device for fracturing bones for therapeutic purposes.2. A giant, multinucleated cell derived from blood cell (monocyte) precursors formed in the bone marrow of growing bones. Osteoclasts are found in depressions (called Howship's lacunae) on the surface of the bone. By absorbing calcium salts, they remove excess bone tissue, as in the remodeling of growing bones or damaged bone in the repair of fractures. osteoclastic (-klăs′tĭk), adjectiveillustration