Osteocytes are an ancient cell, appearing in fossilized skeletal remains of early fish and
dinosaurs. Despite its relative high abundance, even in the context of nonskeletal cells, the
osteocyte is perhaps among the least studied cells in all of vertebrate biology. Osteocytes
are cells embedded in bone, able to modify their surrounding extracellular matrix via
specialized molecular remodeling mechanisms that are independent of the bone forming
osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Osteocytes communicate with osteoclasts and …