STUDY OF BONE TURNOVER IN HEALTHY ELDER SUBJECTS

Abstract

Aging is a physiological process which can be defined as the normal decline in the function of the body due to physiological changes occurring in the body with aging.

There are many theories to explain aging among which the most accepted theory is the free radical theory which states that aging is the result of endogenously formed free radicals which cause damage to the proteins and enzymes.

Aging is associated with a great susceptibility to osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by a low bone mass and by architectural deterioration of bone tissue; both are related to abnormalities of bone turnover.

Bone turnover is characterized by two opposite activities : The formation of new .bone by osteoblasts, and resorption of old bone by osteoclasts. Both are tightly coupled in time and space in a sequence of events that define the bone remodeling unit.