Which components include cells and osteoid, made of ground substance and collagen, contribute to structure, provide tensile strength and flexibility, and dissipate energy on impact?

Which components include cells and osteoid, made of ground substance and collagen, contribute to structure, provide tensile strength and flexibility, and dissipate energy on impact?

• A. Organic components (of bone matrix)
• B. Inorganic components (of bone matrix)
• C. Hydroxyapatite crystals
• D. Water in bone

Answer: (A)

The toughness and energy-dissipating properties of bone come from its organic components. This part of the matrix includes osteoid—the unmineralized organic matter laid down by osteoblasts—which is mainly composed of type I collagen fibers and ground substance rich in proteoglycans and glycoproteins. The collagen fibers form a fibrous network that resists stretching and allows bone to bend slightly, while the ground substance helps bind water and provides viscoelasticity. The cells, such as osteoblasts and osteocytes, are embedded in or associated with this organic matrix and are essential for producing and maintaining it, enabling the bone to adapt to stresses and absorb impact without shattering. In contrast, the inorganic component (hydroxyapatite crystals) supplies hardness and compressive strength but makes bone more brittle if the organic network isn’t present. Water adds some flexibility, but the main source of tensile strength and energy dissipation is the organic bone matrix.

The toughness and energy-dissipating properties of bone come from its organic components. This part of the matrix includes osteoid—the unmineralized organic matter laid down by osteoblasts—which is mainly composed of type I collagen fibers and ground substance rich in proteoglycans and glycoproteins. The collagen fibers form a fibrous network that resists stretching and allows bone to bend slightly, while the ground substance helps bind water and provides viscoelasticity. The cells, such as osteoblasts and osteocytes, are embedded in or associated with this organic matrix and are essential for producing and maintaining it, enabling the bone to adapt to stresses and absorb impact without shattering. In contrast, the inorganic component (hydroxyapatite crystals) supplies hardness and compressive strength but makes bone more brittle if the organic network isn’t present. Water adds some flexibility, but the main source of tensile strength and energy dissipation is the organic bone matrix.