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Definition

noun, plural: bone tissues

A mineralized connective tissue from which bones are made.

Supplement

Bone tissues consist of collagen fibers and ground substance containing calcium, magnesium, and phosphate ions that chemically combine and harden into a mineral, hydroxyapatite. The combination of hard mineral and flexible collagen makes bone harder than cartilage without being brittle.

Bone tissues are of two major types: the compact bone and the spongy bone tissues.

Word origin: bone: Middle English bon, from Old English bān.

Synonym: osseous tissue.
See also: skeleton, bone, cartilage.