Bone donation

Bones in our body are living tissue made up of:

• minerals (especially calcium)
• vitamins
• proteins

The calcium gives your bone its strength and flexibility.

They also have their own blood vessels and living cells, which help the bones to, grow and repair themselves.

Major functions

• provide support for the body
• protect vital organs
• provide a place for the bone marrow
• storage area for minerals such as calcium

Types of bone tissue

• cortical (compact) bone - a hard, strong and dense outer layer
• trabecular (cancellous) bone – a spongy inner layer which is lighter and thinner than compact bone.

Bone cells

Your bone cells are responsible for bone production, maintenance and modelling:

• Osteoblasts
• Osteocytes
• Osteoclasts

Bone matrix

These are the intercellular substance of bone tissue. They include: 

• collagen fibers
• ground substance, and
• inorganic bone salts

Further information

• All about bones
• British Bone Marrow Registry