Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Hormones and Bone Tissue

Hormones and Bone Tissue

The endocrine system produces and secretes hormones, which interact with the skeletal system. These hormones control bone growth, maintain bone once it is formed, and remodel it.
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...

Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling

Osteoclasts in Bone Remodeling

Osteoclasts are cells responsible for bone resorption and remodeling. They originate from hematopoietic progenitor cells present in the bone marrow. Numerous progenitor cells fuse to form multinucleated cells, each with 10-20 nuclei. A single osteoclast has a diameter of 150 to 200 µM. These cells have ruffled borders that break down the underlying bone tissue and release minerals such as calcium into the blood in bone resorption. Osteoclasts cling to bones with their ruffled edges during bone...

Bone Remodeling

Bone Remodeling

Bone remodeling is a continuous and balanced process of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. In adults, it helps maintain bone mass and calcium homeostasis. While mechanical stress can stimulate turnover as part of the normal maintenance and reparative process, several hormones also regulate bone remodeling.

TGF - β Signaling Pathway

TGF - β Signaling Pathway

The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and development. TGF-β ligands that induce TGF-β signaling are synthesized in their latent form. Several proteases or cell surface receptors such as integrins act upon the latent form, releasing the active ligand. There are three types of mammalian TGF-βs: (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) that bind as homodimers or heterodimers to TGF-β receptors. The TGF-β receptors are of three kinds RI, RII, and RIII. The RI...

Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health

Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health

The growth and maintenance of bone are regulated by a combination of nutritional factors, including vitamins, such as vitamin A, B12, C, D, and K.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...

MAPK Signaling Cascades

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Mechanisms Underlying the Waning of Osteoanabolic Therapy Effects in Osteoporosis.

Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research·2026

Same author

Reduced Sclerostin Expression in Human Atherosclerotic Plaques Links to Ischemic Stroke.

Journal of the American Heart Association·2024

Same author

Sclerostin blockade inhibits bone resorption through PDGF receptor signaling in osteoblast lineage cells.

JCI insight·2024

Same author

Primary mouse osteoblast and osteoclast culturing and analysis.

STAR protocols·2021

Same author

PDGF Receptor Signaling in Osteoblast Lineage Cells Controls Bone Resorption Through Upregulation of Csf1 Expression.

Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research·2020

Same author

Selective inhibition of Src family kinases by SU6656 increases bone mass by uncoupling bone formation from resorption in mice.

Bone·2018

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2026

Stimulation of Notch Signaling in Mouse Osteoclast Precursors

Stimulation of Notch Signaling in Mouse Osteoclast Precursors

Published on: February 28, 2017

The p38α MAPK positively regulates osteoblast function and postnatal bone acquisition.

Cyril Thouverey¹, Joseph Caverzasio

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Service of Bone Diseases, University Hospital of Geneva, 64 Avenue de la Roseraie, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland. Cyril.Thouverey@unige.ch

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS

|April 25, 2012

Summary

The p38α protein is crucial for maintaining bone health. Its absence in osteoblasts leads to reduced bone density and formation, highlighting its role in postnatal bone metabolism.

More Related Videos

A Simple Pit Assay Protocol to Visualize and Quantify Osteoclastic Resorption In Vitro

A Simple Pit Assay Protocol to Visualize and Quantify Osteoclastic Resorption In Vitro

Published on: June 16, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 22, 2026

Stimulation of Notch Signaling in Mouse Osteoclast Precursors

Stimulation of Notch Signaling in Mouse Osteoclast Precursors

Published on: February 28, 2017

A Simple Pit Assay Protocol to Visualize and Quantify Osteoclastic Resorption In Vitro

A Simple Pit Assay Protocol to Visualize and Quantify Osteoclastic Resorption In Vitro

Published on: June 16, 2022

Area of Science:

Bone biology
Cell signaling
Skeletal development

Background:

Bone remodeling involves osteoclasts and osteoblasts.
The p38 MAPK pathway regulates osteoblast differentiation.
The specific role of p38α in postnatal bone metabolism is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the function of p38α in osteoblasts.
To determine p38α's role in postnatal bone homeostasis.

Main Methods:

Generated osteoblast-specific p38α knockout mice.
Assessed bone mineral density, bone volume, and cortical thickness.
Analyzed bone formation and resorption markers, including gene expression and in vitro mineralization.

Main Results:

Osteoblast-specific p38α deficiency caused progressive bone loss starting at 5 weeks.
Adult knockout mice showed significantly reduced cancellous and cortical bone volume.
Decreased bone formation markers and impaired osteoblast mineralization were observed, while bone resorption remained unaffected.

Conclusions:

p38α is essential for regulating osteoblast function.
p38α plays a critical role in postnatal bone formation and maintenance.
Targeting p38α may offer therapeutic potential for bone disorders.