Signaling in Osteoblast Differentiation

Bone is calcified hard tissue composed of type I collagen. It is regularly renewed by the balanced actions of osteoclastic bone resorption and osteoblastic bone formation, both of which mainly occur on the bone surface. The molecular understanding of osteoblasts, the bone forming cells, has been a driving force in the field of bone research. This was facilitated by the increasing availability of genetically modified mice and the identification of human mutations. The signaling molecules related to these cells have turned out to be auspicious therapeutic targets for bone diseases such as osteoporosis.