Bone Health

Estrogen's Bone Mass Maintenance Mechanism made clear:
Important point of action is 'regulation of Osteoclasts life span'

The Japan Science and Technology Agency in a joint study with the University of Tokyo, as a result of analyzing the function of estrogen receptor in osteoclasts using genetically engineered mice in order to find causes of postmenopausal osteoporosis, made clear for the first time that estrogen by binding to estrogen receptor in osteoclasts makes genes of a factor to cause the death of cells・apoptosis (Fas Ligand) active and regulate the life span of osteoclasts.
This is the first study to find that in a vertebrate the important point of action for estrogen in the bone system is the osteoclast. It is expected that it will be useful in the future for correctly targeted developments of medicines for osteoporosis.

Cell web version; 2007.9.6

▲ PAGE TOP