The key difference between osteoblasts and osteocytes is that osteoblasts are a type of bone cells responsible for the formation of new bones while osteocytes are a type of bone cells that maintain the bone mass.
Bone is a living and growing tissue that makes the skeleton of humans and other vertebrates. It consists of different cell types like osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteoclasts, and bone lining cells. These cells perform different functions within the bone. Osteocytes are responsible for maintaining the bone mass while osteoblasts are responsible for the formation of new bones. On the other hand, osteoclasts are responsible for the resorption of the bone. All these three processes – formation, sustenance, and resorption – occur continuously in the bone tissue in order to protect the structural integrity of the skeletal system and balance the calcium and phosphorus levels in the body.
