title: Age-related production of osteoclasts and the changes of serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and receptor activator for nuclear factor (NF)-κB ligand (RANKL) in osteopetrotic (op/op) mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Expression of osteoclasts in osteopetrotic (op/op) mice is substantially reduced by the absence of functional macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). However, it has been reported that osteoclasts do gradually appear in the bones of op/op mice and spontaneously correct the osteopetrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Age-related production of osteoclasts and the changes of serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and receptor activator for nuclear factor (NF)-κB ligand (RANKL) in op/op mice were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of femoral osteoclasts, and the serum levels of VEGF, both gradually increased in op/op mice after birth and reached a peak in 120- and 60-day-old mice, respectively. However, the serum levels of RANKL showed an inverse relationship to osteoclast number.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that the appearance of osteoclasts may be influenced by the serum levels of VEGF and that the serum levels of RANKL may be influenced by the appearance of osteoclasts.
authors: Department of Orthodontics and Craniofacial Developmental Biology, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, Japan. motumo@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors: Masahide
authors: M
authors: Motokawa
authors: Natsumi
authors: N
authors: Tsuka
authors: Masato
authors: M
authors: Kaku
authors: Toshitsugu
authors: T
authors: Kawata
authors: Tadashi
authors: T
authors: Fujita
authors: Junji
authors: J
authors: Ohtani
authors: Yayoi
authors: Y
authors: Matsuda
authors: Akiko
authors: A
authors: Terao
authors: Kazuo
authors: K
authors: Tanne
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000378:metabolism*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D010022:Osteopetrosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B / Q000097:blood*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor