Bone marrow

bone marrow

n.

The soft, fatty, vascular tissue filling the cavities of bones, having a stroma of reticular fibers and cells.

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Bone marrow

A substance found in the cavities of bones, especially the long bones and the sternum (breast bone). The bone marrow contains those cells that are responsible for the production of the blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets).

Mentioned in: Aplastic Anemia, Bone Marrow Transplantation, Cancer Therapy, Supportive, Hairy Cell Leukemia, Immunologic Therapies, Leukemia Stains, Platelet Function Disorders, Porphyrias, Sickle Cell Disease, Thalassemia

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bone marrow

the soft, organic material in the cavities of bones, a network of blood vessels and special connective tissue fibers that hold together a composite of fat and blood-producing cells.

The chief function of bone marrow is to manufacture erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets. These blood cells normally do not enter the bloodstream until they are fully developed, so that the bone marrow contains cells in all stages of development. If the body's demand for white cells is increased because of infection, the bone marrow responds immediately by increasing production. The same is true if more red blood cells are needed, as in hemorrhage or anemia.

There are two types of bone marrow, red and yellow. The former produces the blood cells; the latter, which is mainly formed of fatty tissue, normally has no blood cell-producing function.

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bone marrow aplasia

any of the three cell lines may be singularly aplastic but a pancytopenic abnormality is most common. See also aplastic anemia.

bone marrow aspiration

see bone marrow biopsy.

congenital bone marrow hypoplasia

see osteopetrosis.

bone marrow-derived cells

see B lymphocyte.

bone marrow displacement

see myelophthisis.

bone marrow dyscrasia

abnormal cell production by the bone marrow. Occurs in some dog breeds, especially Poodles, in which there are maturation abnormalities of erythrocytes with macrocytosis and hypersegmented neutrophils.

bone marrow spaces

the cavities in cancellous bone that are usually filled with bone marrow.

bone marrow suppression

some drugs and infectious agents can cause reduced erythropoiesis, myelopoiesis and megakaryocytopoiesis. See also anemia, pancytopenia.

toxic bone marrow arrest

see resurgence granulopoiesis.

bone marrow transplantation

the transfer of bone marrow from a normal, antigenically matched individual to another, usually for treatment of aplastic anemia, immunodeficiency or metabolic disorders.