What Health Means to Me!

Health to me means that you are taking care of yourself and doing what is best for your body. That includes not only eating well and getting some form of daily exercise, but also making sure you are getting enough sleep every night and are managing the stress in your life as best you can. I believe it is also a very important part of health to maintain healthy, beneficial social relationships with the people in your life. In an ideal situation, all parts of the Pillars of Health would be equal, although I know that is not always the case. For me, I think I do a good job on my nutrition, exercise, and social pillars. However, my sleep and stress pillars could use a little more focus on them. With school and a busy daily life, it is easy to stay awake stressing about school or college or life in general. In regards to health, I would like to learn more about social and mental health. A lot of the time, physical health is the primary subject in regards to health, so I think it would be interesting to learn more about your mental and social health. 

Cell Specialization: Osteoclasts

The osteoclast is a multinucleated cell, human osteoclasts typically have five nuclei. These cells are also about 150-200 µm in diameter and are found in the pit of the bone’s surface, called the resorption bays or Howship’s lacunae. Osteoclasts are characterized by a cytoplasm that creates a sort of "foamy" appearance. This is due to the high concentration of vesicles and vacuoles. Another prominent characteristic is the cell's dozens of nuclei. An osteoclast has all the same organelles as a typical eukaryotic cell. The tissue type of an osteoclast is connective tissue.

In general, bone cells control the development of new bones and continual bone remodeling. They also keep the maintenance of bones as well as keeping a homeostatic regulation of minerals in the body. Specifically, osteoclasts break down bone tissue. They disassemble and digest the composite of hydrated protein and mineral at a molecular level by secreting acid and a collagenase (an enzyme that breaks the peptide bonds in collagen). In addition, they are also very critical Critical in the maintenance, repair, and remodeling of bones of the vertebral skeleton.