Bone marrow: Its Functions And Importance

What is Bone Marrow?

In the human body, the bones of the skeletal system serve many important and vital functions for the body, from giving your body support to allowing you to move. Bone marrow is a spongy substance that is found in the middle of your bones and they are usually present in the tough, hard bones such as the hip and thigh bones.

Can you Live Without Bone Marrow?

Bone marrow is vital for survival because it creates the necessary blood components to live. It produces erythrocytes or red blood cells that carry oxygen, leukocytes or white blood cells that fight off infections, and platelets that help stop bleeding. Without bone marrow, your body can’t function properly, and its absence can be life-threatening.

Can I Donate Bone Marrow?

Bone marrow and the healthy blood cells it synthesises are crucial for human life. Unfortunately, sometimes cell mutations can damage the bone marrow, leading to severe conditions like leukaemia. For people diagnosed with blood cancers, a bone marrow transplant can be a lifeline.

In a bone marrow transplant, the transplant surgeon introduces healthy cells from a donor into the patient’s bloodstream. These donor cells then help the body produce healthy red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes) and platelets, giving the patient a chance to heal and regain strength.

What does Bone Marrow Look Like?

Bone marrow is a soft, spongy, foam-like tissue that resembles the jelly you spread on toast. It comes in two colours, red and yellow. This special tissue fills the inside of your bones and holds the cells that create red and white blood cells and platelets, which together make up your blood. The red colour in bone marrow comes from the production of red blood cells.

Types of Bone Marrow

There are two types of bone marrow, red and yellow are very crucial and essential for one’s survival. Any disease or infection affecting the functional effectiveness of the bone marrow may be fatal and risky.

What is Red Bone Marrow?

The fibrous tissue that makes up red bone marrow, also known as myeloid tissue, contains hematopoietic cells, or blood-forming stem cells. Red bone marrow functions as the creator of the blood. All red blood cells and platelets, as well as 60 percent to 70 percent of white blood cells, are generated in red bone marrow in adults. The rest of the early white blood cells, known as lymphocytes, begin their development in the red bone marrow and mature in various regions of the body such as the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes.

What is Yellow Bone Marrow?

Mesenchymal or marrow stromal cells live in yellow bone marrow, which is fatter. Yellow bone marrow functions as the creator of connective tissue. These are the stem cells that give rise to the connective tissues of the body, such as fat, cartilage, muscle, and bone. Fat and nutrients are also stored in yellow bone marrow for red bone marrow to use and maintain body functions. Yellow bone marrow can convert into red bone marrow and take over the function of red bone marrow when the body is stressed, such as during an infection or acute blood loss. Bone marrow performs numerous critical tasks in the body, and when there is a problem with its production or function, the consequences are vast. In the human body, bone marrow is a very important function as they generate millions of blood cells on a daily basis. The red bone marrow is involved in hematopoiesis and these stem cells are found in the red bone marrow and can develop into a variety of different blood cells, including: Red Blood Cells – These cells carry oxygen-rich blood to the cells of the body and hence are very important Platelets – They play a very crucial role in helping the blood clot and also prevent uncontrolled bleeding. White Blood Cells – In the human body there are several types of white blood cells and they all work to help the body fight off infections In certain situations, some conditions may trigger additional production of blood cells, this may happen when the oxygen content of the body tissues is low, if there is loss of blood, anemia, or a decrease in the amount of red blood cells. In these kinds of situations, the kidneys produce and release erythropoietin, which is a hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. Infections cause the bone marrow to generate and release more white blood cells, whereas bleeding causes it to produce and release more platelets. The yellow bone marrow activates and turns into red bone marrow when a person loses a lot of blood. As a result, the bone marrow in the human body must be in good working order because it is involved in so many other tasks.

What is bone marrow made of?

Bone marrow is made up of special cells called stem cells. These stem cells create red bone marrow, which synthesize blood cells and platelets that are essential for your blood. Yellow bone marrow, on the other hand, is mainly made of fat and stem cells that help produce bone and cartilage in your body.

The functions of Bone Marrow:

Bone marrow is important for the body because it produces bone marrow stem cells and blood products. Hematopoiesis is the process by which the bone marrow produces red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. It is divided into two varieties, each of which serves a distinct purpose. The main function of bone marrow is to produce different types of cells that are vital for sustaining. A lot of factors and circumstances can affect the health of the bone marrow and cause damage or impair its ability to produce a normal amount of healthy cells. The red blood cells, platelets, and most of the white blood cells are formed in the red bone marrow, on the other hand, the yellow bone marrow produces fat, cartilage, and bone.

• It replaces non-functional bone marrow that has been damaged due to certain health conditions a person might be facing
• Restore the bone marrow’s function after it has been damaged due to treatments such as high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• It prevents further damage caused by certain genetic diseases in certain cases
• The bone marrow also regenerate the immune system in order to fight existing or residual cancers such as leukemia

Importance of Bone Marrow:

Bone marrow is important to the body as it constitutes cells that make up the immune system as well as the stem cells that produce blood cells in the body. Stem cells in the bone marrow mature in the body into a variety of types of cells, each of which has specific functions that benefit the body. As one ages, the red bone marrow is gradually replaced with yellow bone marrow. By adulthood, the red bone marrow can be found only in few bones including:

• Skull
• Vertebrae
• Sternum
• Ribs
• The ends of the upper arm bone
• Pelvis
• The ends of the thigh bone
• The ends of the shin bone

Common issues with bone marrow

Here are some of the issues that can occur within bone marrow, as well as as a result of problems with bone marrow: 

Leukemia– Leukemia is a blood malignancy in which the bone marrow generates aberrant white blood cells.
Aplastic anemia– Aplastic anemia is a condition in which the bone marrow stops producing red blood cells. 

Myeloproliferative disorders– Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), polycythemia vera, primary myelofibrosis, essential thrombocytopenia, chronic neutrophilic leukemia, and chronic eosinophilic leukemia are examples of myeloproliferative diseases. All of these illnesses have an effect on the generation of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. 

Lymphoma– Lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in the lymphocytes and affects the immune system. The bone marrow is an important part of the body that produces many different types of blood cells. The loss of bone marrow can have a negative impact on an individual’s quality of life and lifespan. 

A bone marrow transplant may be required when the doses of chemotherapy or radiation required to cure a malignancy are so high that the treatment permanently damages or destroys a person’s bone marrow stem cells. If the bone marrow has been destroyed by a disease, bone marrow transplants may be required. If you or somebody you know is in need of a bone marrow transplant, we suggest visiting a Doctor at SPARSH today!

Frequently Ask Questions:

Is the bone marrow an organ?

Yes, bone marrow is considered an organ. It plays a crucial role in producing blood cells and is essential for overall health.

Who needs bone marrow?

Everyone needs healthy bone marrow to produce the blood cells necessary for survival. People with certain conditions, like blood cancers, may need a bone marrow transplant to replace damaged marrow.

Why is bone marrow important?

Bone marrow is important because it produces red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, which are vital for carrying oxygen, fighting infections, and controlling bleeding. Without healthy bone marrow, the body cannot function properly.

What factors can affect bone marrow health?

Factors like radiation, chemotherapy, certain medications, and infections can negatively affect bone marrow health. Additionally, diseases such as leukemia and other blood disorders can also damage bone marrow.