Bone marrow (Latin: medulla ossium) is the flexible tissue found in the interior ofbones.

In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg (143 lbs), bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg (5.7 lbs). The hematopoietic compartment of bone marrow produces approximately 500 billion blood cells per day, which use the bone marrow vasculature as a conduit to the body's systemic circulation.[1] Bone marrow is also a key component of the lymphatic system, producing the lymphocytes that support the body's immune system.[2] Contents
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1 Marrow types 2 Stroma o o 2.1 Bone marrow barrier 2.2 Mesenchymal stem cells 3 Red marrow parenchyma o o o 3.1 Types of cells 3.2 Compartmentalization 3.3 Lymphatic role 4 Diseases involving the bone marrow 5 Examination 6 Donation and transplantation of bone marrow o 6.1 Harvesting 7 Bone marrow as a food 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading [edit]Marrow

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A femoral head with a cortex of cortical bone and medulla of trabecular bone, showing its red bone marrow and a focus of yellow bone marrow.

There are two types of bone marrow: medulla ossium rubra (red marrow), which consists mainly of hematopoietic tissue, and medulla ossium flava (yellow marrow), which is mainly made up of fat cells. Red blood cells, platelets and most white blood cellsarise in red marrow. Both types of bone marrow contain numerous blood vessels and capillaries. At birth, all bone marrow is red. With age, more and more of it is converted to the yellow type; only around half of adult bone marrow is red. Red marrow is found mainly in the flat bones, such as the pelvis, sternum, cranium, ribs, vertebrae and scapulae, and in the cancellous ("spongy") material at the epiphyseal ends of long bones such as thefemur and humerus. Yellow marrow is found in the medullary cavity, the hollow interior of the middle portion of long bones. In cases of severe blood loss, the body can convert yellow marrow back to red marrow to increase blood cell production. [edit]Stroma The stroma of the bone marrow is all tissue not directly involved in the primary function ofhematopoiesis. Yellow bone marrow makes up the majority of bone marrow stroma, in addition to smaller concentrations of stromal cells located in the red bone marrow. Though not as active as parenchymal red marrow, stroma is indirectly involved in hematopoiesis, since it provides the hematopoietic microenvironment that facilitates hematopoiesis by the parenchymal cells. For instance, they generate colony stimulating factors, which have a significant effect on hematopoiesis. Cells that constitute the bone marrow stroma are: fibroblasts (reticular connective tissue) macrophages adipocytes osteoblasts osteoclasts endothelial cells, which form the sinusoids. These derive from endothelial stem cells, which are also present in the bone marrow.[3]

Macrophages contribute especially to red blood cell production, as they deliver iron for hemoglobin production.

[edit]Bone marrow barrier The blood vessels of the bone marrow constitute a barrier, inhibiting immature blood cells from leaving the marrow. Only mature blood cells contain the membrane proteins required to attach to and pass the blood vessel endothelium. Hematopoietic stem cells may also cross the bone marrow barrier, and may thus be harvested from blood.

[1]bone marrow 4-6% hematopoietic stem cell - T B B 1010 108-109

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Bone marrow is a tissue found inside the bones. In adult humans, marrow in some bones such as the pelvis, sternum and femur produces new blood cells. There are two types of bone marrow: red and yellow. Red bone marrow is mainly consisted of myeloid tissue, while the yellow marrow is consisted of fat cells. Of course, when someone is born, all marrow is red. Eventually, some of it gets converted into yellow marrow. Red and most of the white blood cells are produced in red marrow, while a part of the while blood cells is produced in yellow marrow. In the case of need, yellow marrow can be converted into red marrow in order to produce new blood cells.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_functions_of_yellow_marrow#ixzz1jdNTIpOv

Bone marrow is the most important blood forming (hematopoietic) organ in the man. Through the processes of differentiation, proliferation and maturation, mature blood cells of different lineages are constantly formed from the pluripotential stem cells in the bone marrow It is an organ about the size of the liver, functionally spread in the flat and long bones. There is active red and inactive yellow marrow. Active function - red bone marrow fills all bones until the age of 5. From then on it gradually disappears and at the age of 20 it still persists in the breast bone (corpus sterni), ribs (costae), backbone (columna vertebralis), flat bones of skull (ossa cranii), flat pelvic bones (os coxae), and proximal parts of the thigh bone (femur) and humeral bone (humerus). During bone marrow aplasia, the preservation of active marrow has a specific predictive value. Reticular cells and bone marrow fibers form microenvironment and supportive network for the hematopoietic and immunopoietic cells. They direct stem cells to the process of differentiation. Inactive function - yellow bone marrow mainly fills the diaphyses of the long bones. It is made of connective tissue and large, round fat cells. In normal conditions it does not function hematopoietically, but during some pathological processes it can be transformed into active (red) bone marrow.