Endocrine Abstracts

The discovery of the fundamental involvement of receptor activator for nuclear factor-KB ligand (RANKL) in osteoclast (OC) formation, has enabled the routine generation of human OCs in vitro from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Beta C-terminal telopeptide (beta-CTx) is a specific resorption marker for degradation of bone type I collagen by OCs. We have evaluated the correlation between beta-CTx released from dentine wafers on which OC were c...

Background: Cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1) catalyses the first and rate-limiting step of steroidogenesis. CYP11A1 firstly converts cholesterol into 22R-hydroxycholesterol, which relies on mitochondrial steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR)-mediated cholesterol import. Two further StAR-independent CYP11A1 reactions facilitate pregnenolone biosynthesis. CYP11A1 deficiency is rare and manifests with adrenal insufficiency (AI), and, in 46,XY individua...

BACKGROUD: Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is normally secreted in a circadian rhythm and modulates bone turnover through the differential stimulation of receptor activator for nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and suppression of osteoprotegerin (OPG), both of which are fundamental factors in regulating bone turnover. We have studied the relationship between PTH and OPG over a 24-hour period.METHODS: Hourly peripheral venous blood samples were obtained fro...