Table 1.

Factors affecting osteocyte death and viability.

Factors affecting osteocyte death and viability	References
Factors favoring osteocyte death
Aging	1, 16, 54
Low mechanical strain (e.g. immobilization or weightlessness)	44, 47, 49
Excessive mechanical strain, microcracking	16, 47
Estrogen deficiency (e.g. postmenopause or treatment with GnRH)	38, 39
Glucocorticoid excess (endogenous or exogenous)	42, 45, 113
Vitamin D deficiency	83, 118
Vitamin D receptor deficiency	118
Factors promoting osteocytes viability
Normal mechanical loading (load-induced fluid flow in lacunocanalicular network)	34, 47
Intermittent administration of PTH(1–34)	115, 116, 117
Bisphosphonates treatment	1, 57, 58
Nitric oxide (NO)	34