
To acquire various information from tissues and cells in bone, gross morphological examinations and histomorphometrical analysis are performed with bone tissue samples prepared. Tissues samples can be classified into two categories; decalcified specimen and non-decalcified specimen.

Bone histomorphometry is one of the means to assess metabolic functions of bone. The follows are measured with non-decalcified thin sections.
1) Bone structure: cancellous tissue content, trabecular thickness, trabecular number, etc.
2) Bone formation: osteoid surface, osteoblast cell surface, bone calcification surface, rate of calcification, etc.
3) Bone resorption: the surface of bone resorption, osteoclast cell number, etc.