title: New immune connections in osteoclast formation.
abstract: Osteoimmunology is an interdisciplinary research field that investigates the interplay of the skeletal and immune systems at the molecular level. The interaction between immune cells and osteoclasts has been a major topic in this field. As osteoclasts are derived from the monocyte/macrophage lineage, the macrophage-osteoclast interaction has long been studied. The T cell-osteoclast interaction has also attracted much attention in the study of bone destruction in arthritis. In addition, recent reports have revealed new players linking osteoclasts and other immune cells, including B cells and dendritic cells. Thus, a large number of molecules are in fact shared by osteoclasts and immune cells. These findings will lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of diseases affecting both systems and will provide a molecular basis for novel therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Signaling, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. taka.csi@tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takayanagi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B