"The 1st International Conference on Osteoimmunology: Interactions of the Immune

描述（由申请人提供）：直到最近才认识到免疫系统和骨骼系统有主要的相互作用。现在有充分的证据表明，破骨细胞是骨骼稳态的重要细胞介质，来源于造血前体细胞，造血前体细胞也产生免疫细胞。此外，许多最初被证明可以调节免疫细胞功能的细胞因子也被证明可以调节骨细胞并影响骨骼健康。相反，骨细胞的产物对于骨髓的植入以及造血和免疫系统的正常发育至关重要。在过去，参与免疫和骨细胞研究的科学家很少以重要的方式相互作用，因为这些学科是独立发展的，而且在很大程度上仍然是分开的。据我们所知，以前还没有召开过专门召集这两个领域的成员的科学会议。这次会议的目标是让这些科学家进行互动，以便新的合作能够发展，并在理解免疫系统和骨骼系统之间的关系方面取得更快的进展。组织者的基本假设是，除非骨生物学家和免疫学家之间建立更好的沟通，否则骨免疫学领域的进展将被推迟。我们认为，加强这些先前独立学科的科学家之间合作的主要方法是将这两个领域的成员聚集在一个会议上，在这个会议上所有参与者都可以自由互动和分享想法。会议将于2006年5月26日至6月2日在希腊克里特岛举行。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): It has only recently been appreciated that the immune and skeletal systems have major interactions. It is now well documented that osteoclasts, which are important cellular mediators of skeletal homeostasis, are derived from hematopoietic precursors that also give rise to immune cells. In addition, numerous cytokines that were first shown to regulate immune cell function have also been demonstrated to regulate bone cells and influence skeletal health. Conversely, products of bone cells appear critical for the engraftment of marrow in bone and the normal development of the hematopoietic and immune systems. In the past scientists involved in immune and bone cell investigations have rarely interacted in a significant way as these disciplines have developed independently and, for the most part, remain separate. To our knowledge, no previous scientific meeting has been convened to specifically bring together the members of both fields. The goal of the proposed meeting is to allow these scientists to interact so that new collaboration can develop and more rapid progress in understanding the relationships between the immune system and the skeletal system can be achieved. The fundamental hypothesis of the organizers is that progress in the field of osteoimmunology will be delayed unless better communication is established between bone biologists and immunologists. We believe that a primary way to enhance collaborations between scientists in these previously separate disciplines is to bring the members of both fields together at a conference in which all participants can interact freely and share ideas. The conference will be held on May 26, 2006 to June 2, 2006 in Crete, Greece.