Amphiregulin lacks an essential role for the bone anabolic action of parathyroid hormone.

Although parathyroid hormone (PTH) has long been known to act as a bone anabolic agent when administered intermittently, the exact underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Amphiregulin (AREG), a ligand of the epidermal growth factor receptor, has been identified to be a PTH target gene in vitro and in vivo. Here, we used female global AREG knockout (AREG-KO) mice to explore the role of AREG in mediating the bone anabolic effects of PTH.