Cortical bone serves principally for support. It is composed of densely packed mineralized collagen laid down in layers. This type of bone is primarily in the axial skeleton. Trabecular bone is more metabolically active. There are at least three specialized bone cells that are responsible for the synthesis, modeling, and remodeling of bone.
Specialized osteocytes affect the constant modeling and remodeling of bone.
The osteoblasts secrete three chains that make up Type one collagen to form osteoid, which is the uncalcified precursor to bone. Osteocytes are thought to be quiet osteoblasts. They appear to communicate with one another and with the surface osteoblasts through the bone canaliculi. Osteoclasts destroy bone as part of the overall continual remodeling process. Osteoclasts reabsorb the existing bone while the new bone is formed by osteoblasts.