01329nas a2200289   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002100055653000900076653002000085653001100105653002300116653001100139653001200150653000900162653001500171653001600186653001600202653001500218653001700233100001400250245005900264300001000323490000700333520068500340022001401025       1979                            d  c1979 Mar10aAcid Phosphatase10aAged10aBone Resorption10aFemale10aHistocytochemistry10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aMetatarsus10aMiddle Aged10aOsteoclasts10aOsteocytes10aTarsal Bones1 aMarks S C00aThe cellular basis for extremity bone loss in leprosy.  a26-320 v473 a<p>Osteoclasts and osteolytic osteocytes have been observed in the majority of 60 samples of bone taken from five patients with lepromatous or tuberculoid leprosy. These results are interpreted to mean that bone loss in patients with leprosy is an acceleration of a normal cellular process and not the result of avascular necrosis. The acceleration of bone resorption could be due to local release of products from M. leprae or host cells, a hypothesis testable by organ culture methods. The presence of lymphocytes and mononuclear cells in bone samples in this and previous studies is discussed with respect to recent evidence of a role for lymphoid cells in bone resorption.</p>  a0148-916X