title: The quest for a biomarker of circulating osteoclast precursors.
abstract: Osteoclast precursors arise from the CD14+ CD16- population in controls but details about cell surface marker expression and functional characteristics of these cells is unknown, particularly in patients with inflammatory arthritis. In a recent issue of Arthritis, Research and Therapy, Lari and colleagues found that osteoclasts developed from a proliferative CD14+ CD16- subset in healthy controls. These cells took on the morphology of osteoclasts, expressed mRNA for osteoclast-related genes and excavated pits on bone wafers. These findings provide new insights into monocyte diversity and provide evidence that osteoclast precursors arise from a small proliferating monocyte population in controls. Additional studies are needed in patients with inflammatory arthritis.
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Ritchlin
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001775:Blood Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers