title: Calcium channels: the potential therapeutic targets for inflammatory bone destruction of rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammatory bone resorption causes progressive joint destruction which ultimately leads to functional disability in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The primary cell responsible for bone resorption is the osteoclast, which means it is a potential therapeutic target against bone destruction. In fact, experimental and clinical findings suggest that blockade of osteoclast differentiation and function is highly effective in inhibiting bone destruction in RA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this report, we show several lines of experimental evidence which suggest that a variety of Ca(2+) channels are essential in osteoclast differentiation and function, and present a hypothesis that modulation of Ca(2+) channels is a highly effective therapeutic strategy in preventing osteoclast-induced structural damage in RA.
authors: Division of Rheumatology, College of Medicine, Korea University, 126-1, Anam-Dong 5-Ga, Sungbuk-Ku, Seoul, 136-705, South Korea.
authors: Robin
authors: R
authors: Park
authors: Division of Rheumatology, College of Medicine, Korea University, 126-1, Anam-Dong 5-Ga, Sungbuk-Ku, Seoul, 136-705, South Korea. jjdjmesy@korea.ac.kr.
authors: Jong Dae
authors: JD
authors: Ji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000378:metabolism; D000070918:Synoviocytes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels
keywords: Calcium channel; Inflammation; Osteoclast; Rheumatoid arthritis