Figure 1: Schematic Representation of Osteocytes and Lacunocanalicular System.

Schematic representation of an embedded osteocyte located within its lacuna, illustrating its dendritic processes passing through the bone matrix (grey shading) within narrow tunnels termed canaliculi. The osteocyte’s dendritic processes interconnect with other osteocytes and surface osteoblasts. Note that some osteocyte processes may extend beyond the osteoblast layer to potentially interact with cells in the marrow and that osteocyte dendrites are also in intimate contact with the vasculature. Modified and reproduced from Dallas et al 2013 [7] with permission.