title: VEGF and bone cell signalling: an essential vessel for communication?
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial cell survival factor and is required for effective coupling of angiogenesis and osteogenesis. Although central to bone homeostasis, repair and the pathobiology that affect these processes, the precise mechanisms coupling endothelial cell function within bone formation and remodelling remain unclarified. This review will (i) focus on the potential directionality of VEGF signalling in adult bone by identifying the predominant source of VEGF within the bone microenvironment, (ii) will summarize current VEGF receptor expression studies by bone cells and (iii) will provide evidence for a role for VEGF signalling during postnatal repair and osteoporosis. A means of understanding the directionality of VEGF signalling in adult bone would allow us to most effectively target angiogenic pathways in diseases characterized by changes in bone remodelling rates and enhance bone repair when compromised.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK. C.E.Clarkin@soton.ac.uk
authors.forename: Claire E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Clarkin
authors.forename: Louis C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Gerstenfeld
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology*; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000502:physiology*; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000503:physiopathology; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology; D006728:Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000503:physiopathology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000502:physiology; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000502:physiology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D019899:Paracrine Communication; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D006728:Hormones; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor