title: The Role of Osteocytes in Age-Related Bone Loss.
abstract: The decrease in bone mass and strength during aging has multiple causes. Osteocytes are long-lived cells within the bone matrix that perform a variety of functions, including the control of bone remodeling. Because of their longevity, osteocytes are more likely than osteoclasts or osteoblasts to accumulate molecular damage over time. Osteocytes utilize quality-control pathways like autophagy to remove damaged organelles and macromolecules, and thereby maintain function. When the damage is excessive, cell death pathways such as apoptosis minimize the impact of potential osteocyte dysfunction on the skeleton. The goal of this review is to discuss how dysregulation of these pathways in osteocytes may contribute to the decline in bone mass and strength with age.
authors.affiliation: Center for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA. rljlka@uams.edu.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Jilka
authors.affiliation: Center for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA. caobrien@uams.edu.
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001343:Autophagy; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016723:Bone Remodeling; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D010011:Osteocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000378:metabolism; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016474:Weight-Bearing
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; C422903:SOST protein, human
keywords: Apoptosis; Autophagy; Bone remodeling; Osteocytes; Osteoporosis; RANKL