INTRODUCTION: In the past few years, it was recognized the great complexity of the mechanisms that influence bone cellular activity and several studies focus on the factors able to modulate the bone functions. The increase of bone research is, in part, due to the establishment of osteoporosis as a healthy problem common in elderly. Osteoporosis is one of the most important osteopathy, characterized by the bone mass reduction, resulted from disequilibrium between bone resorption and bone formation. OBJECTIVE: Based on the relationship between estrogen and bone metabolism, the aim of this study is present a review of literature about the principal aspects of bone turnover and bone repair associated to estrogen deficiency. Bone turnover: Bone tissue is in continuous turnover, however, changes in this process can result in some disorders, such as osteoporosis. Bone repair: Involves a sequence of biological events. It is affected by local and external factors and regulated by interaction of several mechanisms, like bone turnover. Estrogen deficiency and bone metabolism: The capacity to repair has been associated to changes in bone turnover and repair. DISCUSSION: It is not known which bone repair stage is modified: the bone formation, the mineralization or the resorption stage. CONCLUSION: The pathophysiology of bone changes caused by estrogen deficiency are not completely clear, so, new studies are still necessary.
Bone and bones; Bone remodeling; Osteoporosis; postmenopausal; Fracture; Estrogen deficiency