Emerging Evidence of Osteocytes as Mechanosensors and Regulators of Mineralisation

Osteoblasts that are encased by the matrix they synthesise become end differentiated cells called osteocytes, and are found regularly distributed throughout the mineralised matrix. Osteocytes are by far the most common cell type in bone, constituting over 90% of adult bone cells.1 Although osteocytes are relatively inactive compared with osteoblasts, there is nevertheless emerging evidence that os…