Osteocyte Cartoon Vector

Osteocytes are mature bone cells that are embedded within the mineralized bone matrix. They are derived from osteoblasts, which are the cells responsible for synthesizing and depositing the bone matrix. As osteoblasts become surrounded by the matrix they produce, they become trapped within small spaces called lacunae. Osteocytes are interconnected through tiny channels called canaliculi, which allow them to communicate with each other and with cells on the bone surface. This network of interconnected osteocytes and canaliculi is known as the lacunar-canalicular system.