The Osteocyte: An Endocrine Cell … and More
Few investigators think of bone as an endocrine gland, even after the discovery that osteocytes produce circulating fibroblast growth factor 23 that targets the kidney and potentially other organs. In fact, until the last few years, osteocytes were perceived by many as passive, metabolically inactiv...
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Published in | Endocrine reviews Vol. 34; no. 5; pp. 658 - 690 |
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Main Authors | , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
United States
Endocrine Society
01.10.2013
Copyright by The Endocrine Society |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Few investigators think of bone as an endocrine gland, even after the discovery that osteocytes produce circulating fibroblast growth factor 23 that targets the kidney and potentially other organs. In fact, until the last few years, osteocytes were perceived by many as passive, metabolically inactive cells. However, exciting recent discoveries have shown that osteocytes encased within mineralized bone matrix are actually multifunctional cells with many key regulatory roles in bone and mineral homeostasis. In addition to serving as endocrine cells and regulators of phosphate homeostasis, these cells control bone remodeling through regulation of both osteoclasts and osteoblasts, are mechanosensory cells that coordinate adaptive responses of the skeleton to mechanical loading, and also serve as a manager of the bone's reservoir of calcium. Osteocytes must survive for decades within the bone matrix, making them one of the longest lived cells in the body. Viability and survival are therefore extremely important to ensure optimal function of the osteocyte network. As we continue to search for new therapeutics, in addition to the osteoclast and the osteoblast, the osteocyte should be considered in new strategies to prevent and treat bone disease. |
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Bibliography: | This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (PO1 AR46798 and PO1 AG039355 to L.F.B. and R21 AR054449, RO1 ARO51517, and S10 RR027668 to S.L.D.). ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-3 content type line 23 ObjectType-Review-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 |
ISSN: | 0163-769X 1945-7189 |
DOI: | 10.1210/er.2012-1026 |