Novel Lipid Signaling Mediators for Mesenchymal Stem Cell Mobilization during Bone Repair.

Introduction: Mesenchymal stem and progenitor cells (MSCs), which normally reside in the bone marrow, are critical to bone health and can be recruited to sites of traumatic bone injury, contributing to new bone formation. The ability to control the trafficking of MSCs provides therapeutic potential for improving traumatic bone healing and therapy for genetic bone diseases such as hypophosphatasia.

Methods: In this study, we explored the sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signaling axis as a means to control the mobilization of MSCs into blood and possibly to recruit MSCs enhancing bone growth.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head: An update in year 2012.

Osteonecrosis is a phenomenon involving disruption to the vascular supply to the femoral head, resulting in articular surface collapse and eventual osteoarthritis. Although alcoholism, steroid use, and hip trauma remain the most common causes, several other etiologies for osteonecrosis have been identified. Basic science research utilizing animal models and stem cell applications continue to further elucidate the pathophysiology of osteonecrosis and promise novel treatment options in the future.

Cartilage abnormalities associated with defects of chondrocytic primary cilia in Bardet-Biedl syndrome mutant mice.

Primary cilia are found on nearly every mammalian cell, including osteocytes, fibroblasts, and chondrocytes. However, the functions of primary cilia have not been extensively studied in these cells, particularly chondrocytes. Interestingly, defects in the primary cilium result in skeletal defects such as polydactyly in Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS), a ciliary disorder that also results in obesity, retinopathy, and cognitive impairments.