Final answer:
The prefix 'osteo' refers to bone tissue, with osteoblasts involved in bone formation and osteocytes maintaining the bone matrix. In the context of low calcium levels, osteoclasts, cells that break down bone to release calcium, could be the dysfunctional cells causing the issue.
Step-by-step explanation:
The prefix osteo in words like osteoblasts and osteocytes refers to bone tissue. Specifically, osteoblasts are cells that are responsible for bone formation, while osteocytes are mature bone cells that maintain the bone matrix. When considering a patient with low calcium levels that affect nervous system and muscle functions, it's important to examine the functioning of bone cells. Osteoclasts are the type of bone cell that reabsorbs and breaks down bone tissue, releasing calcium into the bloodstream, which means that dysfunction in osteoclasts could be related to the patient's symptoms.