What are the two main types of bone tissue?

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What are the two main types of bone tissue?

Two main types of bone tissue are compact bone and spongy bone. Compact bone, also called cortical bone, forms the dense outer shell of most bones and provides the majority of strength because its matrix is tightly packed with little space. Spongy bone, or cancellous bone, has a porous, lattice-like network of trabeculae that makes it lighter and more metabolically active, housing marrow and facilitating rapid exchange of nutrients. This pairing reflects the two principal tissues that give bone its strength while keeping it light and capable of marrow storage. Terms like dense bone or porous bone are less precise, and cortical/cancellous are just alternate names for the same tissues, but the standard pair described here captures both density and location aspects.

Two main types of bone tissue are compact bone and spongy bone. Compact bone, also called cortical bone, forms the dense outer shell of most bones and provides the majority of strength because its matrix is tightly packed with little space. Spongy bone, or cancellous bone, has a porous, lattice-like network of trabeculae that makes it lighter and more metabolically active, housing marrow and facilitating rapid exchange of nutrients. This pairing reflects the two principal tissues that give bone its strength while keeping it light and capable of marrow storage. Terms like dense bone or porous bone are less precise, and cortical/cancellous are just alternate names for the same tissues, but the standard pair described here captures both density and location aspects.

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