Bone Tissue Types: A Brief Account of Currently Used Categories
Vivian de Buffrénil, Alexandra Quilhac
Abstract
The aim of comparative skeletal histology and paleohistology is to interpret the biological characteristics and life history traits of vertebrates through the microstructure of their bones. To fulfill this aim requires a set of descriptive concepts that can name unambiguously all the main histological features displayed in a bone section. The goal is not only to record the tissue composition of a bone in a given sectional plane, but also to help interpret the local growth and morphogenetic processes that explain this structure. The present review treats this topic at several levels that correspond to the main structural characteristics of osseous formations, and to the usual practical path followed by descriptions in comparative skeletal histology. Information is thus given about (1) relevant microanatomical features including the characteristics and diversity of compact and cancellous formations, vascular density and patterns; (2) topographical and chronological dimensions of osseous deposits (e.g., cortical vs. medullary, primary vs. secondary); and (3) histological features proper, such as matrix fibrillar structuration and cell characteristics (morphology, density, distribution). The typical bone tissue types resulting from the combinations of these basic structural features are presented.