Regulation of bone metabolism by nuclear receptors

Bone tissue protects and supports soft organs and maintains calcium homeostasis. Steroid sex hormones and fat-soluble vitamins play a pivotal role in regulation of bone homeostasis, turnover and remodeling. These molecules act as ligands of nuclear receptors, through which they control gene expression in bone cells, namely bone-forming osteoblasts, bone-resorptive osteoclasts and osteocytes. Significant advances in our understanding of nuclear receptor physiology have been achieved due to development of novel genetic manipulation approaches and generation of experimental animal models in which nuclear receptor genes were mutated in specific cell types. In this review, we summarized some aspects of recent progress in studies on molecular mechanisms of cell-specific action of nuclear hormone receptors in bone tissue.