ea0013s42 | New biology of bone: therapeutic implications | SFEBES2007
Chambers Tim
The osteoclast is the cell that resorbs bone. Excessive activity by this cell is responsible for the bone loss that causes osteoporosis. Resorptive activity also appears to provide a soil suitable for tumour metastasis to bone. Osteoclasts derive from precursors shared with the mononuclear phagocyte system, which differentiate into osteoclasts under the direction of M-CSF and RANKL. In vitro at least, TFG-beta is an essential cofactor for this process, and i...