title: Bone morphogenetic protein signaling in bone homeostasis.
abstract: Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are cytokines belonging to the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily. They play multiple functions during development and tissue homeostasis, including regulation of the bone homeostasis. The BMP signaling pathway consists in a well-orchestrated manner of ligands, membrane receptors, co-receptors and intracellular mediators, that regulate the expression of genes controlling the normal functioning of the bone tissues. Interestingly, BMP signaling perturbation is associated to a variety of low and high bone mass diseases, including osteoporosis, bone fracture disorders and heterotopic ossification. Consistent with these findings, in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that BMPs have potent effects on the activity of cells regulating bone function, suggesting that manipulation of the BMP signaling pathway may be employed as a therapeutic approach to treat bone diseases. Here we review the recent advances on BMP signaling and bone homeostasis, and how this knowledge may be used towards improved diagnosis and development of novel treatment modalities. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Muscle Bone Interactions".
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Cancer Genomics Centre Netherlands, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Duffhues
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Brandenburg School of Regenerative Therapies (BSRT), Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hiepen
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Brandenburg School of Regenerative Therapies (BSRT), Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: Knaus@chemie.fu-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knaus
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Cancer Genomics Centre Netherlands, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands. Electronic address: P.ten_Dijke@lumc.nl.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ten Dijke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta
keywords: BMP; Bone; Osteoblast; Osteoclast; TGF-β