Apoptotic osteocytes regulate osteoclast precursor recruitment and differentiation in vitro.

Fatigue loading causes a spatial distribution of osteocyte apoptosis co-localized with bone resorption spaces peaking around microdamage sites. Since osteocytes have been shown to regulate osteoclast formation and activity, we hypothesize that osteocyte apoptosis regulates osteoclastogenesis. In this study, we used serum-starvation to mimic reduced nutrient transport in microdamaged bone and induce apoptosis in MLO-Y4 osteocyte-like cells; conditioned medium was used to apply soluble factors released by apoptotic osteocytes (aOCY) to healthy non-apoptotic MLO-Y4 cells.