Osteocyte-vascular Interactions in Bone Physiology and Pathology

Area of Science:

• Bone Biology
• Vascular Biology
• Cellular Communication

Background:

• Osteocytes, embedded within bone, regulate bone remodeling and repair via their lacuno-canalicular network.
• The intricate relationship between osteocytes and the bone vasculature is not fully understood.
• Bone is a highly vascularized tissue, necessitating communication between its cellular components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on osteocyte-vascular interactions.
• To focus on the communication mechanisms between osteocytes and bone vasculature.
• To explore the relevance of these interactions to bone physiology, aging, and disease.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent studies on osteocyte-vascular communication.
• Analysis of indirect and direct signaling modalities.
• Consideration of emerging evidence on lymphatic vessel involvement.

Main Results:

• Osteocyte-vascular communication involves paracrine factors (e.g., VEGF, sclerostin), extracellular vesicles, and direct interactions like mitochondrial transfer.
• Lymphatic vessels in bone suggest novel osteocyte-vasculature interactions.
• Diverse communication pathways highlight osteocyte regulation of vascular function in bone.

Conclusions:

• Osteocyte-vascular crosstalk is multifaceted, involving various signaling pathways.
• Understanding these interactions is key to unraveling bone physiology and pathology.
• Further research with advanced tools is needed to elucidate this bidirectional dialogue for therapeutic strategies.