| Lamellae are the layers which are so prominent in slides of compact bone. Like the rings seen in onions and trees, lamellae allow a bone to be both strong when pressure is placed upon it and slightly flexible at the same time (since the rings can move somewhat). When the bone is over-stressed, however, the lamellae delaminate and shatter just like a tree does in a wind storm. That is one of the major problems in osteoporosis, when the matrix of the bone is degraded and the risk of fractures thus increases. This is not the answer that I was looking for, however! Lets return to the original question. |