Answer: Calcitonin is released whenever blood calcium levels go up. It activates osteoblasts and inhibits osteoclasts. This response is due to the role of calcitonin in reducing blood calcium levels by promoting the deposition of calcium into the bone matrix. Osteoblasts are responsible for bone formation, and their activation by calcitonin allows them to actively incorporate calcium into the bone, thereby reducing the calcium levels in the blood. On the other hand, calcitonin inhibits osteoclasts, which are responsible for bone resorption. By suppressing osteoclast activity, calcitonin helps prevent the breakdown of bone tissue and further release of calcium into the blood. In summary, calcitonin activates osteoblasts to build bone and inhibits osteoclasts to prevent bone breakdown, ultimately reducing blood calcium levels.
Refining the diagram to show the regulatory mechanism:
Regulatory Mechanism
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Osteoblasts Osteoclasts
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____________________________ ____________________________
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| Calcitonin | | Calcitonin |
| (+) activates | | (-) inhibits |
| osteoblasts | | osteoclasts |
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| Bone Formation | | Bone Resorption |
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|____________________________| |____________________________|
In the refined diagram, the regulatory mechanism is shown between the two types of bone cells, osteoblasts and osteoclasts. The diagram illustrates that calcitonin activates osteoblasts (+) and inhibits osteoclasts (-). The arrows indicate the effect of calcitonin on the respective cell types, promoting bone formation by osteoblasts and suppressing bone resorption by osteoclasts. This regulatory mechanism helps maintain bone homeostasis by responding to changes in blood calcium levels.
Step-by-step explanation: