Human osteoclast formation

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There are a number of important medical conditions that are characterised by a loss of bone. These include osteoporosis, cancer-induced bone loss, and the bone loss that causes loosening of orthopaedic prostheses. Bone loss is understood to be due to an excess of bone resorption by osteoclasts in relation to bone formation. Understanding of the regulation of osteoclast formation and activity has increased greatly in the last few years, but important questions remain. In particular, more information is needed about the process of human osteoclast formation. We have devised a novel cell culture model of human osteoclast formation, in which osteoclast precursor cells mature into osteoclasts under the influence of human osteoblast cells. The importance of this model is that it allows us, for the first time, to investigate the role, and the potential relevance in human disease, of agents that positively and negatively affect osteoclasts. We intend also to use this model to study the way in which cancer cells in bone cause bone loss, as well as the involvement of cells of the immune system in osteoclast formation, in normal bone and in inflammatory conditions.