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Updated: May 17, 2026

Flow Cytometry Analysis of Immune Cell Subsets within the Murine Spleen, Bone Marrow, Lymph Nodes and Synovial Tissue in an Osteoarthritis Model
Published on: April 24, 2020
New developments in osteoimmunology
1Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. takayana@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Investigations into interactions between the skeletal and immune systems were developed during research into arthritis, with characterization of T-cell-mediated regulation of osteoclastogenesis. A new interdisciplinary field--osteoimmunology--was created, and has since expanded to encompass disciplines including signal transduction, stem cell niches and fundamental immunology. We have witnessed rapid progress in understanding the mechanisms of bone damage in arthritis and the roles of immune molecules in bone, but comparatively less evidence has been provided for the role of bone-derived factors in the immune system. Nevertheless, regulation of immune cells, including haematopoietic stem cells, by bone cells is now a hot topic in this field. Here, I discuss recent advances in osteoimmunology and emerging avenues of basic and clinical investigation.
Investigations into interactions between the skeletal and immune systems were developed during research into arthritis, with characterization of T-cell-mediated regulation of osteoclastogenesis. A new interdisciplinary field--osteoimmunology--was created, and has since expanded to encompass disciplines including signal transduction, stem cell niches and fundamental immunology. We have witnessed rapid progress in understanding the mechanisms of bone damage in arthritis and the roles of immune molecules in bone, but comparatively less evidence has been provided for the role of bone-derived factors in the immune system. Nevertheless, regulation of immune cells, including haematopoietic stem cells, by bone cells is now a hot topic in this field. Here, I discuss recent advances in osteoimmunology and emerging avenues of basic and clinical investigation.
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