Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large intestines. The commonly used abbreviation for gastrointestinal is GI. (Outside of medicine, GI can also stand for galvanized iron, general issue or government issue-as in GI Joe).
Before the extracellular matrix is calcified, the tissue is called osteoid (bone-like) tissue. When the concentrations of calcium and phosphate ions rise high enough, they are deposited into the extracellular matrix, and the bone calcifies.
The osteon or haversian system /hÉËvÉr.ÊÉn/ (named for Clopton Havers) is the fundamental functional unit of much compact bone. Osteons are roughly cylindrical structures that are typically several millimeters long and around 0.2mm in diameter.he haversian canal contains the bone's blood supplies. The boundary of an osteon is the cement line. Between adjoining osteons, there are angular intervals that are occupied by interstitial lamellae. These lamellae are remnants of osteons that have been mostly destroyed.