Different techniques for showing bone cells

There are many ways of looking at cells and capturing what they look like. We've chosen five images of bone cells, including osteocytes and osteoblasts, to show how these cells can be visualised with different techniques.

Image research by Laura Pastorelli; captions by Chrissie Giles, adapted from Wellcome Images.

Bone anatomy

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Colour artwork of normal anatomy within the musculoskeletal system. The capillary containing the red blood cells (top of the image) is closely related to developing bone. The star shapes are osteocytes and osteoblast cells. Osteoblasts are responsible for the production of new bone tissue (small oval beige cells); once the bone is fully formed the cells become trapped within the tissue they secrete and form star-shaped osteocytes.
Credit: Medical Art Service, Munich, Wellcome Images.

Mouse osteocyte

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Structure of an osteocyte situated in the cortex of a mouse tibia bone. Osteocytes are derived from osteoblasts - the cells that form new bone. This image is a ‘mould’. The bone was embedded in resin, which was subsequently etched with perchloric acid, removing the entire mineral in the sample and leaving a replica of the area. Therefore, what is observed is the resin that filled the spaces in the bone and the spaces inside the cells.
Credit: Kevin MacKenzie, University of Aberdeen, Wellcome Images.

Osteocyte lacunae in bone

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Polarised light microscopy image of bone showing osteocyte lacunae, the small holes that the cells occupy, within cancellous (spongy) bone.
Credit: Karin Hing, Wellcome Images.

Mouse osteocyte

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Fluorescence microscopy image of osteocytes taken from the calvarial bone of a five-day-old mouse. Calvarial refers to the cranium and is the bone that makes up the skull. Osteoblasts originate in bone marrow and contribute to the production of new bone. These cells build up bone matrix. As bone is continually being reabsorbed and regenerated, these cells are crucial and are continually being produced by the body.
Credit: Kevin MacKenzie, University of Aberdeen, Wellcome Images.

Osteoblast cells

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Fluorescence microscopy image of osteoblast cells. Osteoblasts originate in bone marrow and contribute to the production of new bone. These cells build up bone matrix. As bone is continually being reabsorbed and regenerated, these are crucial. Osteoblasts make up bone and osteoclasts break it down. This image shows the osteoblasts cells fluorescently stained with antibodies that mark actin (purple) and DAPI highlighting the nucleus (yellow).
Credit: Kevin MacKenzie, University of Aberdeen, Wellcome Images.