Changes in size of lacunae during the life of osteocytes in osteons of compact bone.
The cross-sectional areas of 739 lacunae from 31 osteons of gibbon femur, gibbon ulna, and human humerus were measured and compared on the basis of their distance from the osteon canal. There was great variation in size of lacunae at all distances, but the mean size of lacunae adjacent to the canal and of those in the periphery of the osteon were larger than the mean size of lacunae found intermediate in position. This was interpreted to mean that new osteocytes continue to form bone, thus decreasing the size of their lacunae, but later in their life cycle, enlarge their lacunae through bone absorption. The great variation in size was interpreted to be evidence for alteration of function of osteocytes.
D000818:Animals; D001846:Bone Development; D001862:Bone Resorption; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000254:growth & development; D015186:Hominidae; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000254:growth & development; D010011:Osteocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D010828:Physiology, Comparative; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014457:Ulna / Q000254:growth & development