title: Bone loss. Factors that regulate osteoclast differentiation: an update.
abstract: Osteoclast activation is a critical cellular process for pathological bone resorption, such as erosions in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or generalized bone loss. Among many factors triggering excessive osteoclast activity, cytokines such as IL-1 or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha play a central role. New members of the TNF receptor ligand family (namely receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B [RANK] and RANK ligand [RANKL]) have been discovered whose cross-interaction is mandatory for the differentiation of osteoclasts from hemopoietic precursors, in both physiological and pathological situations. Osteoprotegerin, a decoy receptor which blocks this interaction, decreases osteoclast activity and could have a fascinating therapeutic potential in conditions associated with upregulated bone resorption.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U349, Lariboisière Hospital, Paris, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roux
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Orcel
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000473:pathology*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology