The Wnt signaling pathway and bone metabolism.
OBJECTIVE
The Wnt signaling pathway has been a major focus of effort in the bone field for the past 5 years. This review will examine some of the seminal findings that have brought us to our current understanding of the role of this pathway in bone metabolism.


RESULTS
The Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway has been shown to play a major role in bone cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. It is a critical component of bone mass regulation and required for bone to respond to mechanical loading. The pathway is tightly regulated by a number of modulator proteins. Mutations in pathway components that result in aberrant regulation are involved in a number of bone diseases.


CONCLUSIONS
Understanding the role that the Wnt signaling pathways play in the regulation of bone metabolism offers great promise for the developmental of new paradigms and pharmaceutical strategies for the treatment of various diseases such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Progress in this regard has already been made.
Johnson
Mark L
ML
Department of Oral Biology, University of Missouri - Kansas City, School of Dentistry, Kansas City, Missouri 64108, USA. johnsonmark@umkc.edu
Kamel
Mohamed A
MA
D000818:Animals; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D026502:LDL-Receptor Related Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
D026502:LDL-Receptor Related Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin