Boning Up on Osteocytes — Dr. Mia Thi and colleagues have shed light on how osteocytes build bone in response to physical forces. Osteocytes are located throughout compact bone. Their arm-like processes transmit signals to other cells and anchor osteocytes to surrounding bone. Dr. Thi found that only the “arms” of osteocytes, rather than their bodies, respond to force. Furthermore, osteocytes respond only if their “arms” are attached to bone via a cell adhesion molecule called αVβ3 integrin. These insights into bone-building may help in developing new treatments for osteoporosis and other skeletal disorders. The study was published in the December 9, 2013 online issue of the Proceeding of the National Academies of Science. Dr. Thi is assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery and instructor of neuroscience.
Posted on: Wednesday, February 12, 2014