Dorothy FarrarBone marrow
The bone marrow is not an ordinary substance, but primarily the substance that is responsible for vital functions in the body. The bone marrow itself counts as a so-called delicacy for many people; it is loaded with energy and fat . However, the bone marrow is not protected against disease, so that – if a disease is present – sometimes significant health consequences arise.
Definition
The medulla osseum – the bone marrow – is divided into a white or red bone marrow based on its appearance. If you examine the bone marrow under the microscope, you will see a cell-rich and thick structure that lines the cavity of the bone. However, bone marrow is only found in bones that have a relatively large cross-section. The substance itself is essential to life; if there is a disease of the bone marrow, the health and life of the person affected can sometimes be in danger.
Anatomy
If the doctor were to saw through a “marrow bone” – for example the thigh bones – or upper arm bones – a very solid mass would be noticed immediately: bone marrow. The bone marrow is made up of solid elements that are located directly inside the bone – or rather in the cancellous trabeculae. The bone marrow itself is described as a spongy substance, which is mainly composed of connective tissue.
The bone marrow contains numerous epithelial and connective tissue cells as well as blood vessels . There are also thrombocytes , fat cells, erythrocytes and leukocytes in the bone marrow. Tissue fluid, which is reminiscent of a gel-like substance, makes up a large part of the white bone marrow. However, there are no lymph vessels in the bone marrow.
Function
There have already been anatomical studies that have found that there are different portions of bone marrow found in the slab bones as well as tubular bones. Above all, this knowledge relates to the cranium and the rib bones . The main task of the bone marrow is the formation of new blood cells and platelets.
Finally, the bone marrow is the place in the entire body in which the immature leukocytes as well as erythrocytes and thrombocytes are located. They are only passed on to the bloodstream when they have reached the right maturity in the bone marrow. Stages of maturation which are also known in medicine as leukocytosis, thrombocytosis and erythrocytosis thus take place in the bone marrow. These are also subject to the control of specific hormones, among other things. The bone marrow itself also contains the stem and original cells, which make up an integral part of human blood.
Later in life, however, the amount of bone marrow decreases. It is therefore often necessary for people to donate suitable stem cells so that they can be passed on as bone marrow. This is often referred to as a bone marrow donation or umbilical cord blood . Such interventions make it possible for patients to significantly increase their chances of survival if massive illnesses have occurred or enormous blood loss has been experienced. The lack of bone marrow can also be caused by illness.
diseases
Human blood is also human life. For example, the red blood cells are involved in respiration and the white blood cells and platelets are involved in the body’s immune system. If these components are not present, the condition will inevitably lead to the death of the patient.
Diseases that occur directly in the bone marrow are more common than might be thought. Due to the fact that the bone marrow is relatively sensitive, hereditary as well as environmental influences can sometimes ensure that diseases develop and damage the bone marrow.
Classic diseases are, for example, tumors that occur in the bone marrow or water retention. Those arise due to a lack of or insufficient blood formation. The most well-known disease associated with the bone marrow is leukemia, the overproduction of leukocytes.
Other diseases that are relatively well known are neuroblastoma and myelodysplastic syndrome. These diseases are life-threatening and must be treated and treated immediately.
However, all diseases that affect the bone marrow require treatment. Even leukopenia (the patient has too few leukocytes), osteomyelitis (the bone is affected by inflammation) or even anemia (the patient has too few erythrocytes) must be treated medically, otherwise serious consequences can occur, which endanger the health and life of the person concerned.
If there is an undersupply of the human organism because the blood platelets, which are relevant for wound healing and coagulation, are too few, the formation of blood cells can become unbalanced. Here, too, treatment is absolutely necessary, since this imbalance is also not compatible with the life of the person affected – as the disease progresses.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.