Resorption pit
Also called: Howship's lacuna, resorption lacuna
What it means
A resorption pit is a small dent left on bone where osteoclasts have dissolved away old bone tissue. It's also known as Howship's lacuna.
These pits are a normal, visible sign of the resorption step in bone remodeling, which your body balances against new bone formation to keep bones healthy.
A resorption pit (also called Howship's lacuna) is the small scooped-out dent left on a bone surface after osteoclasts have dissolved away mineral and matrix. Think of it like a tiny divot in the bone, shaped roughly like a shallow bowl, marking the spot where old or damaged bone was just removed.
These pits form during the resorption phase of bone remodeling. Osteoclasts attach tightly to the bone surface, seal off the area, and pump acid and enzymes into that sealed space to break down the hard mineral and the collagen underneath. The dissolved material is cleared away, leaving the pit behind.
The pit isn't the end of the story. Once resorption is done, cleanup cells smooth the surface and lay down a thin cement line, then osteoblasts move in to fill the pit back in with new bone. This back-and-forth is part of how your skeleton continuously renews itself throughout life.
Resorption pits are normal dents left behind when osteoclasts dissolve away old bone tissue.
Where this leads
WordThese pits are made by osteoclasts. Curious what these bone-dissolving cells are and how they stay balanced with bone builders?
Where the Academy teaches it
This page is the short version. The lessons teach it in full, with the context around it and a quiz to lock it in.
Related words
Osteoclasts are the cells that break down old bone tissue, working alongside bone-building osteoblasts to constantly…
An osteoblast is a cell that builds new bone by laying down fresh bone matrix, working alongside cells that break…
Bone remodeling is the lifelong cycle where cells called osteoclasts remove old bone and osteoblasts build new bone…
A bone remodeling unit (BMU) is the small group of cells on your bone surface that removes old bone and builds new…
Coupling is the normal process where bone-building cells (osteoblasts) follow bone-removing cells (osteoclasts) to…
RANKL is a signal that activates osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone, and it's a key target for some…
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