title: [Effect of genistein on the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of the osteoblasts].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of genistein on the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of the osteoblasts in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary osteoblasts (OBs) were obtained from the rat calvaria and the cell line of osteosarcoma-UMR-106 served as control. The cells in the experiment group were grown in 10% (volume fraction) fetal calf serum (FCS) + alphaMEM + various concentrations of genistein. The control groups were grown in 10% FCS + alphaMEM. The growth of OBs was assessed by flow cytometry and MTT method. The differentiation of OBs was examined by the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Flow cytometry analysis and MTT showed that genistein could prompt primary OB from stage G(0) (G(1)) to stage S, G(2) or M. By contrast, genistein had no effect on the cell cycle of UMR-106, but could induce its apoptosis. Additionally, the results of ALP activity showed that genistein stimulated the differentiation of primary OB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Genistein can stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of the primary osteoblasts in some degree, and induce the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Peking University School of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China. lbbfiles@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Bin-bin
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shi-feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shu-zhen
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Pang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019833:Genistein / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D019833:Genistein