Final answer:
Osteoclasts are the cells that dissolve bone matrix through the process of bone resorption, releasing important minerals such as calcium into the bloodstream, which is crucial for various bodily functions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cells responsible for dissolving bone matrix are known as osteoclasts. These multinucleated cells play a vital role in bone resorption, which is the process of breaking down the bone tissue.
Osteoclasts release lysosomal enzymes and hydrogen ions to digest bone matrix proteins and dissolve the bone matrix, releasing important minerals like calcium into the bloodstream. This is essential for regulating calcium levels and is important for many bodily functions, including maintaining healthy nerve and muscle function.
By contrast, osteoblasts are the cells responsible for bone formation. They deposit new bone material into the matrix. Once this material is deposited and osteoblasts are surrounded by it, they mature into osteocytes, which live in a reduced metabolic state within the lacunae of the bone. However, the question specifically pertains to which cells dissolve the bone matrix, which is the action of osteoclasts alone.