Fluorescence Imaging of Bone-Resorbing Osteoclasts by Confocal Microscopy

Osteoclasts are large multinucleate bone cells with the capacity to degrade bone by the process of bone resorption and, thus, participate in the homeostasis of bone and calcium in the body (1 ). Imaging of osteoclasts can be performed by a variety of microscopy methods including light microscopy, electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) (2 ,3 ). These techniques, together with histochemical and immunocytochemical stains, enable the researcher to analyze the cellular structure and function of this complex cell type both in vivo within bone tissues and isolated in vitro in primary cell cultures (see Part II, Culture of Osteoclasts).