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Figure 2. Inflammation induced both osteoclast formation (osteolysis) and new bone formation (sclerosis). (A) On the surface of the femur from a patient with a loosened hip joint prosthesis, not only can osteoclasts (arrowhead) be seen, but also active osteoblasts (solid arrow), producing new wowen bone tissue (dashed line), easily distinguishable from the old lamellar bone (open arrow). The photo is a kind gift from Dr. Christopher Collins, University of Bristol, UK, and is reproduced with his permission. (B) In most patients with inflammation-induced apical periodontitis, a zone with bone loss (osteolytic lesions) is observed adjacent to the apices of the roots of the teeth (solid arrow to the left). In some patients, however, the inflammatory process leads to new bone formation and a sclerotic response (dashed arrows to the right) in the jawbones. (magnification not defined)
