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Osteoclasts, no longer osteoblast slaves

Nature Medicine volume 12, pages 1356–1358 (2006)Cite this article

A protein has been identified that promotes the formation of osteoclasts, bone-degrading cells—while also inhibiting osteoblasts, bone-forming cells. The findings could lead to new avenues of drug development to strengthen bone (pages 1403–1409).

Osteoclasts, bone-degrading cells, operate under the control of osteoblasts, bone-forming cells. But recent studies have suggested that osteoclasts don't just passively carry out orders—they in turn seem to influence osteoblasts1. In this issue, Lee et al.2 bolster the case for an expanded osteoclast sphere of influence.

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Figure 1: Osteoclast-osteoblast interaction during bone remodeling.

Kim Caesar

Figure 2: Two multinucleated osteoclasts (stained red for tartrate-resistant phosphatase activity) with ruffled border membranes are resorbing the pale pink bone beneath and to their left.

B.F. Boyce

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Center for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, 14642, New York, USA

    Brendan F Boyce & Lianping Xing

Authors
  1. Brendan F Boyce
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  2. Lianping Xing
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Boyce, B., Xing, L. Osteoclasts, no longer osteoblast slaves. Nat Med 12, 1356–1358 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1206-1356

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1206-1356

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