GROWTH AND DIFFERENTIATION FACTORS IN BONE AND CARTILAGE

该项目的目标是调查增长的作用， 骨和软骨中的分化因子。特别强调 骨骼发育的起始因子。成骨素是一种原型 骨发育起始因子的实例。目前项目 在调查中，突出的发现是：1）克隆和 成骨蛋白基因的表达; 2）成骨蛋白基因的产生和表征。 针对成骨蛋白中“活性位点”的合成肽的抗体; 3） 成骨素与各种细胞外基质大分子的相互作用。 骨生成素以高亲和力结合IV型胶原。这一发现 重要的发育意义; 4）组织特异性表达 成骨素反应基因; 5）放射自显影定位 在发育中的胚胎中与成骨蛋白结合的位点; 6）分化 IV型胶原和其他基质上的成骨细胞突起， 7)成骨素在灵长类颅面缺损中的应用。最近 工作已经证明了成骨蛋白在矫正大面积骨缺损中的效用。 颅面缺损

The objective of the project is to investigate the role of growth and differentiation factors in bone and cartilage. Special emphasis is placed on initiation factors in bone development. osteogenin is a prototypic example of a bone development initiation factor. The projects currently under investigation with the salient findings are: 1) Cloning and expression of osteogenin genes; 2) Production and characterization of antibodies to synthetic peptides to "active sites" in osteogenin; 3) Interaction of osteogenin with various extracellular matrix macromoles. Osteogenin binds with high affinity to type IV collagen. This finding has important developmental implications; 4) Expression of tissue specific genes in response to osteogenin; 5) Autoradiographic localization of binding sites to osteogenin in developing embryos; 6) The differentiation of osteoblastic cell processes on type IV collagen and other substrata, and 7) Application of osteogenin in craniofacial defects in primates. Recent work has demonstrated the utility of osteogenin in correction of massive craniofacial defects.