Osterix regulates corticalization for longitudinal bone growth via integrin β3 expression

Abstract

Bone growth: signaling for length South Korean researchers have elucidated the molecular mechanisms that regulate bone length in mammals. Longitudinal bone growth is a tightly regulated process that mostly takes place after birth and is triggered by mechanical stimuli. Previous studies identified osterix as a key protein for bone development, but little was known about its involvement in longitudinal bone growth. Eui-Sic Cho and colleagues at Chonbuk National University in Jeonju showed that mice lacking osterix in bone-building cells (osteoblasts) have shorter limbs than control mice and that the migration of these cells to peripheral areas of bone is disrupted shortly after birth. Furthermore, they found that osterix regulates bone length by activating a gene encoding the cell adhesion protein integrinβ3. Understanding how integrin signaling in osteoblasts regulates longitudinal bone growth could lead to new treatments for short stature in humans.