title: Regulation of gene expression in osteoblasts.
abstract: In recent years, much progress has been made in understanding the factors that regulate the gene expression program that underlies the induction, proliferation, differentiation, and maturation of osteoblasts. A large and growing number of transcription factors make important contributions to the precise control of osteoblast formation and function. It has become increasingly clear that these diverse transcription factors and the signals that regulate their activity cannot be viewed as discrete, separate signaling pathways. Rather, they form a highly interconnected, cooperative network that permits gene expression to be closely regulated. There has also been a substantial increase in our understanding of the mechanistic control of gene expression by cofactors such as acetyltransferases and histone deacetylases. The purpose of this review is to highlight recent progress in understanding the major transcription factors and epigenetic coregulators, including histone deacetylases and microRNAs, involved in osteoblastogenesis and the mechanisms that determine their functions as regulators of gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Eric D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Rajaram
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gopalakrishnan
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Westendorf
mesh_terms: D051701:Activating Transcription Factor 4 / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000502:physiology; D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / Q000502:physiology; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051821:Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1 / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D051785:Smad Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D000076182:Sp7 Transcription Factor; D051822:T Cell Transcription Factor 1 / Q000502:physiology; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1 / Q000502:physiology; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit; C497573:LEF1 protein, human; D051821:Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1; D035683:MicroRNAs; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D051785:Smad Proteins; D000076182:Sp7 Transcription Factor; C478163:SP7 protein, human; C479466:Sp7 protein, mouse; D051822:T Cell Transcription Factor 1; C497576:TCF7 protein, human; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1; D051701:Activating Transcription Factor 4; D019703:Calcineurin; D006655:Histone Deacetylases