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Current Osteoporosis Reports
Published in: Current Osteoporosis Reports 4/2017

01-08-2017 | Osteocytes (T Bellido and J Klein-Nulend, Section Editors)

Osteocyte Mechanobiology

Authors: Yuhei Uda, Ehab Azab, Ningyuan Sun, Chao Shi, Paola Divieti Pajevic

Published in: Current Osteoporosis Reports | Issue 4/2017

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Over the past decades, osteocytes have emerged as mechano-sensors of bone and master regulators of bone homeostasis. This article summarizes latest research and progress made in understanding osteocyte mechanobiology and critically reviews tools currently available to study these cells.

Recent Findings

Whereas increased mechanical forces promote bone formation, decrease loading is always associated with bone loss and skeletal fragility. Recent studies identified cilia, integrins, calcium channels, and G-protein coupled receptors as important sensors of mechanical forces and Ca2+ and cAMP signaling as key effectors. Among transcripts regulated by mechanical forces, sclerostin and RANKL have emerged as potential therapeutic targets for disuse-induced bone loss.

Summary

In this paper, we review the mechanisms by which osteocytes perceive and transduce mechanical cues and the models available to study mechano-transduction. Future directions of the field are also discussed.
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Metadata
Title
Osteocyte Mechanobiology
Authors
Yuhei Uda
Ehab Azab
Ningyuan Sun
Chao Shi
Paola Divieti Pajevic
Publication date
01-08-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Osteoporosis Reports / Issue 4/2017
Print ISSN: 1544-1873
Electronic ISSN: 1544-2241
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11914-017-0373-0

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