Reglation of mineralization by osteocyte

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24390412
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Functional basic dentistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAHSIMA Tomoki 東京医科歯科大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 准教授 (00346959)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 骨代謝学 / 骨細胞 / ミネラリゼーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Bone is constantly renewed by the balanced action of osteoblastic bone formation and osteoclastic bone resorption both of which mainly occur at the bone surface. This restructuring process called "bone remodeling" is important not only for normal bone mass and strength, but also for mineral homeostasis. Osteocytes, the most numerous and least well studied bone cells, are stellate-shaped cells enclosed within the bone lacuno-canalicular network of bone. Based on the osteocyte location within the bone matrix and the cellular morphology, it is proposed that osteocytes potentially contribute to the regulation of bone remodeling in response to mechanical and endocrine stimuli. To identify the regulation factor of bone remodeling and mineralization, we performed a genome-wide screening of osteocytes, and in vivo analysis of bone disease model and gene targeting mice.

Free Research Field

骨生物学