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Ch. 6 Bones and Skeletal Tissues
Marieb - Human Anatomy & Physiology 7th Edition
Marieb, Hoehn7th EditionHuman Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780805359091Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksMarieb, Hoehn 7th EditionCh. 6 Bones and Skeletal TissuesProblem 4
Chapter 6, Problem 4

Bone remodeling in adults is regulated and directed mainly by:
a. Growth hormone
b. Thyroid hormones
c. Sex hormones
d. Mechanical stress
e. PTH

Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that bone remodeling is a continuous process where old bone tissue is replaced by new bone tissue, maintaining bone strength and mineral homeostasis.
Recognize that several factors influence bone remodeling, including hormones and physical forces.
Recall that growth hormone and thyroid hormones affect overall bone growth and metabolism but are not the primary regulators of remodeling in adults.
Consider that sex hormones (like estrogen and testosterone) help maintain bone density by influencing the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, but they are not the main directing factor.
Identify that mechanical stress (physical forces on bone) is the primary factor that directs where remodeling occurs, as bones adapt to the stresses placed on them by increasing or decreasing bone mass accordingly.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Bone Remodeling

Bone remodeling is a continuous process where old bone tissue is replaced by new bone tissue. It involves the coordinated activity of osteoclasts (which resorb bone) and osteoblasts (which form bone), maintaining bone strength and mineral homeostasis throughout adulthood.
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Introduction to Bone Cells

Mechanical Stress and Wolff's Law

Mechanical stress refers to the physical forces exerted on bones during activities like exercise or weight-bearing. According to Wolff's Law, bone adapts to the loads under which it is placed, meaning mechanical stress directs bone remodeling by stimulating bone formation where needed.
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Second Law of Thermodynamics

Hormonal Regulation of Bone Remodeling

Hormones such as parathyroid hormone (PTH), growth hormone, thyroid hormones, and sex hormones influence bone remodeling by regulating osteoclast and osteoblast activity. While these hormones affect bone metabolism, mechanical stress is the primary directing factor in adult bone remodeling.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

The disorder in which bones are porous and thin but bone composition is normal is

a. Osteomalacia

b. Osteoporosis

c. Paget's disease

Textbook Question

The organic portion of matrix is important in providing all but

a. Tensile strength

b. Hardness

c. Ability to resist stretch

d. Flexibility

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Textbook Question

Wolff's law is concerned with:

a. Calcium homeostasis of the blood

b. The shape of a bone being determined by mechanical stresses placed on it

c. The electrical charge on bone surfaces

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Textbook Question

Formation of the bony callus in fracture repair is followed by:

a. Hematoma formation

b. Fibrocartilaginous callus formation

c. Bone remodeling

d. Formation of granulation tissue

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Textbook Question

Sites of hematopoiesis include all but

a. Red marrow of spongy bone

b. The heads of femur and humerus in adults

c. Medullary cavities in bones of infants

d. Medullary cavities in bones of a healthy adult

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