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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

A Novel in vivo Gene Transfer Technique and in vitro Cell Based Assays for the Study of Bone Loss in Musculoskeletal Disorders
Published on: June 9, 2014
Interactions between the bone matrix proteins osteopontin and bone sialoprotein and the osteoclast integrin alpha v
F P Ross1, J Chappel, J I Alvarez
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Jewish Hospital, Washington University Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri 63110.
Abstract:
We have investigated the mechanism by which osteoclasts adhere to and resorb bone. We show that these cells express beta 1 and beta 3 integrins which are involved in attachment to purified bone matrix proteins. Binding to osteopontin and bone sialoprotein is mediated by alpha v beta 3, while a beta 1 integrin is responsible for attachment to fibronectin. Both the rapid attachment by osteoclasts to intact bone particles and their subsequent resorption are blocked by a monoclonal antibody directed to the alpha v beta 3 complex but not by an antibody against beta 1 integrins. Attachment of osteoclasts to bone is also inhibited with soluble osteopontin, Arg-Gly-Asp-containing peptides derived from both osteopontin and bone sialoprotein, or a monospecific polyclonal antibody against osteopontin. We conclude that both osteoclast adherence to bone and subsequent resorption of its matrix are dependent on interactions between the bone matrix proteins osteopontin and/or bone sialoprotein and the integrin alpha v beta 3. Moreover, collagen, which constitutes 90% of its organic matrix, is minimally involved in binding of chicken osteoclasts to bone.
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