Bone marrow is not only a substance which performs a very crucial, even vital function in the organism. Bone marrow is considered a delicacy by many people, rich in energy, especially fat. In addition, in the case of diseases of the bone marrow, there are significant health consequences.
What is bone marrow?
Behind the somewhat complicated-sounding name medulla osseum is the bone marrow, which is initially classified as red, white or white bone marrow based on its visual appearance. Viewing the bone marrow under a microscope reveals a dense, cell-rich structure that lines the inner cavity of bones. If the total mass of bone marrow were summed and related to the rest of the body weight, the result would be approximately 5 to 6% bone marrow. Bone marrow is found mainly in bones with a larger cross-section.
Anatomy and structure
Sawing through a “marrow bone,” such as the humerus or femur, would reveal both solid and soft components. The complex solid elements in bone marrow include the so-called cancellous bone cells, within which the bone marrow has become embedded. From these aspects, bone marrow is known as a spongy substance that is primarily composed of connective tissue. Generally, thousands of small blood vessels and epithelial and connective tissue cells are embedded in the bone marrow regardless of its coloration. In addition, fat cells and platelets as well as immature stages of leukocytes and erythrocytes are integrated in the bone marrow. In the white bone marrow, a proportion of tissue water predominates, which is present in a gel-like state. Lymphatic vessels are absent in bone marrow. Not all forms of bone marrow occur in every marrow bone.
Functions and tasks
In human anatomic studies, various proportions of bone marrow are found in both tubular and flat bones. This mainly involves the skull roof and sternum, as well as the rib bones. Among the most primary functions of bone marrow is the formation of blood cells and platelets. The bone marrow is a place in the body where immature erythrocytes and leukocytes, as well as platelets, are localized before being flushed out into the blood fluid at a certain stage. These maturation stages, which take place in the bone marrow, are referred to in medicine as erythrocytosis, thrombocytosis and leukocytosis and are subject to control by specific hormones. The bone marrow also contains the so-called cells of origin or stem cells for the solid components of the blood. In the course of life, the amount of bone marrow decreases, so that it is necessary to obtain suitable stem cells from other people in the form of bone marrow. In this context, terms such as umbilical cord blood and bone marrow donation are popular areas of knowledge. These interventions can increase the chances of patients and patients in whom the formation of the cytes contained in the blood is impaired by disease or massive blood loss.
Diseases
Blood is life – red blood cells are involved in respiration, and white blood cells and platelets are involved in the body’s immune defenses. If these B components are missing, death can result. Diseases affecting the bone marrow are more common than is widely believed. The bone marrow is extremely sensitive and can be damaged by hereditary or environmental influences. Typical diseases of the bone marrow that are associated with deficient or absent hematopoiesis are tumors in the bone marrow or water retention. Intense diseases such as leukemia (overproduction of leukocytes), myelodysplastic syndrome (myeloblasts are immature precursors of leukocytes occurring exclusively in the bone marrow), neuroblastoma and consequences of radioactive radiation are often known due to the suggestions for bone marrow donation. This damages the genetic information of the stem cells in the bone marrow and the marrow in its physiology. In addition, diseases that require treatment in bone marrow are osteomyelitis (inflammatory processes of the bone) and leukopenia (too few leukocytes) and anemia (too few erythrocytes).An undersupply of the organism with the platelets relevant for coagulation and wound healing can also be triggered by a disease in the bone marrow if the balance of blood cell formation is displaced or disturbed. This is equally the case when there is aplasia (decrease in volume) at the bone marrow.
Typical and common diseases
- Osteomyelitis (bone marrow inflammation).
- Chronic myeloid leukemia
- Myelodysplastic syndrome
- Plasmocytoma (multiple myeloma)
