Cancellous bone

Cancellous bone
Illustration of a section through long bone, with spongy bone in its center.
Light micrograph of cancellous bone, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, showing bone trabeculae (stained pink) and marrow tissue (stained blue).
Details
Identifiers
Latin	substantia spongiosa ossium
MeSH	D000071556
TA98	A02.0.00.004
TA2	380
FMA	24019
Anatomical terminology

Cancellous bone is a type of osseous tissue with a low density and strength but very high surface area, that fills the inner cavity of long bones. The external layer of cancellous bone contains red bone marrow where the production of blood cellular components (known as hematopoiesis) takes place. Cancellous bone is also where most of the arteries and veins of bone organs are found.

Other names include trabecular bone and spongy bone. Its Latin name is substantia spongiosa or substantia spongiosa ossium. The words cancellous and trabecular refer to the tiny, lattice-shaped spicules that form the tissue.

See also

• Cortical bone, the other type of osseous tissue, which forms the hard outer layer of bone organs if you know what i mean i am kevin baldwin and i approve this message

External links

• Article with some info on spongy bone
• Histology image: 02601lba – Histology Learning System at Boston University - "Cartilage and Bone and Bone Histogenesis: trabecular, woven and lamellar bone"