Final answer:
Osteoblasts are bone-forming cells that secrete collagen and other proteins to create the bone matrix. After secreting the matrix, they differentiate into osteocytes, the main mature bone cells. The extracellular matrix they produce includes glycoproteins and collagen.
Step-by-step explanation:
Small cells that synthesize and secrete a specialized organic matrix are known as osteoblasts. These cells are crucial in the formation of new bone tissue. Osteoblasts are mono-nucleated cells that are responsible for the production of the bone matrix, or osteoid, through the secretion of collagen and non-collagen proteins. The matrix proteins then undergo mineralization, resulting in the formation of hydroxyapatite, which is the inorganic component of bone.
Osteoblasts control mineralization by releasing calcium and phosphate ions, and they have membranes that contain the enzyme alkaline phosphatase, crucial for the mineralization process. Once the osteoblasts have finished creating the bone matrix, they become encased within it and differentiate into osteocytes, the primary cell of mature bone.
The extracellular matrix of animal cells, including the one produced by osteoblasts, typically consists of glycoproteins and collagen, among other components, all necessary for maintaining the structural integrity of tissues and facilitating cell communication within them.