骨量的维持依赖于骨吸收和骨形成之间的平衡。骨吸收率增加20％就能导致明显的骨量丢失,是导致骨质疏松的重要病因。破骨细胞是完成骨吸收过程的主要细胞,其凋亡率对维持破骨细胞群的大小和骨组织自身平衡至关重要。若破骨细胞凋亡过早,凋亡细胞数目增加破骨细胞数目减少,则骨吸收深度变浅;若破骨细胞凋亡过晚,则骨吸收深度加深。近7年来人们对细胞凋亡分子机制,特别是基因调节研究的深入为骨病的药物治疗和基因治疗奠定了基础。本文复习了近年来有关破骨细胞体外培养、细胞凋亡的形态 The maintenance of bone mass depends on the balance between bone resorption and bone formation. A 20% increase in bone resorption can lead to significant loss of bone mass and is an important cause of osteoporosis. Osteoclasts are the main cells that complete the process of bone resorption, and their rate of apoptosis is crucial for maintaining the size of the osteoclast population and the balance of bone tissue itself. If the early apoptosis of osteoclasts, the increase in the number of apoptotic cells decreased number of osteoclasts, the shallow depth of bone absorption; if osteoclasts apoptosis is too late, the depth of bone absorption deepens. In the recent seven years, people have laid a foundation for the molecular mechanism of apoptosis, especially the study of gene regulation, for the drug therapy and gene therapy of bone disease. This article reviewed in recent years about osteoclasts cultured in vitro, the morphology of apoptosis