Osteoclast differentiation and characteristic trabecular bone formation during growth plate destruction in osteoprotegerin-deficient mice.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is an osteoblast-derived secreted member of the tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily that inhibits osteoclastogenesis. Mice that are OPG-deficient have severe bone loss, including growth plate cartilage destruction. Using OPG-deficient mice as a useful animal model, we attempted to clarify differentiation and ultrastructural features of osteoclasts located on destructed growth plate cartilage and trabecular bone matrix.

Effects of enamel matrix derivative on mineralized tissue formation during bone wound healing in rat parietal bone defects.

Enamel matrix derivative (EMD: Emdogain) has been reported to stimulate the biosynthesis and regeneration of trabecular bone. To address whether the biological action of EMD is dependent on the local environment of osseous tissue, circular perforations were made in parietal bones and immediately filled with either EMD or its carrier, propylene glycol alginate (PGA), as control. On post-operative days 4-60, the dissected bones were examined by various histological techniques.

Osteoprotegerin administration reduces femural bone loss in ovariectomized mice via impairment of osteoclast structure and function.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a novel osteoblast-derived secreted member of the tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily that inhibits osteoclastogenesis. We examined the effects of OPG administration on the distribution, ultrastructure and vacuolar-type H+-ATPase expression of osteoclasts and resulting trabecular bone loss in the femurs of ovariectomized (OVX) mice. Two-month-old female ddY mice were allocated to the following groups: (1) pretreatment base-line controls; (2) untreated sham-operated controls; (3) untreated OVX; and (4) OPG-administered OVX mice.