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Updated: Jan 4, 2026

Modeling Paracrine Noncanonical Wnt Signaling In Vitro
Published on: December 10, 2021
The Regulation of Bone Metabolism and Disorders by Wnt Signaling
Kazuhiro Maeda1, Yasuhiro Kobayashi2, Masanori Koide2
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan.
Abstract:
Wnt, a secreted glycoprotein, has an approximate molecular weight of 40 kDa, and it is a cytokine involved in various biological phenomena including ontogeny, morphogenesis, carcinogenesis, and maintenance of stem cells. The Wnt signaling pathway can be classified into two main pathways: canonical and non-canonical. Of these, the canonical Wnt signaling pathway promotes osteogenesis. Sclerostin produced by osteocytes is an inhibitor of this pathway, thereby inhibiting osteogenesis. Recently, osteoporosis treatment using an anti-sclerostin therapy has been introduced. In this review, the basics of Wnt signaling, its role in bone metabolism and its involvement in skeletal disorders have been covered. Furthermore, the clinical significance and future scopes of Wnt signaling in osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and neoplasia are discussed.
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