骨细胞

Osteocytes

在过去的10年里,对骨细胞的研究有了爆炸性的突破。过去骨细胞被认为是"被动静止"的。但事实远非如此,骨细胞在许多方面都有着重要的作用。得益于其骨陷窝-小管结构,骨细胞可以感受机械应力并将其转化为生物信号,从而"指导"成骨细胞和破骨细胞根据外界力学环境的变化进行骨骼重建。另外,骨细胞还具有重要的内分泌功能,它不仅能够调节骨骼表面的细胞,同样还可以影响包括肾脏、甲状旁腺在内的其它组织器官,从而在钙磷代谢中起到重要的作用。另外,相比于成骨细胞和破骨细胞,骨细胞的寿命非常长。越来越多的证据显示,凋亡或功能异常的骨细胞可能是某些骨骼疾病的罪魁祸首。通过对骨细胞多方面功能的深入了解,将有机会在骨骼疾病方面找到新的治疗目标。本文将从骨细胞在应力感应、骨重建、内分泌调节、细胞生存等方面对骨细胞进行综述。

The last decade has provided a virtual explosion of data on the molecular biology and function of osteocytes.Far from being the″passive placeholder in bone″, this cell has been found to have numerous functions.Immured within the lacunar-canalicular system, Osteocyte can sense mechanical loads, transform them into biological signals, and orchestrate bone remodeling through regulation of both osteoclast and osteoblast activity.The osteocyte also acts as an endocrine cell.It not only targets cells on the bone surface but also targets distant organs, such as kidney, parathyroid, and other tissues.This cell plays a role in both phosphate metabolism and calcium availability.Moreover, compared with the osteoblast and the osteoclast, the osteocyte is much longer-lived cell.Emerging evidence indicates that signals arising from apoptotic and old/or dysfunctional osteocytes are seminal culprits in the pathogenesis of bone diseases.Therefore, with a better understanding of the role and actions of osteocytes, we have a chance to get the new therapeutic targets for the treatment of bone diseases.The review briefly demonstrates some new information of osteocyte in fields of mechanosensing, bone remolding, endocrine regulation, and cell viability.