https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(01)00622-5.pdf

The Novel Zinc Finger-Containing Transcription Factor Osterix Is Required for Osteoblast Differentiation and Bone Formation

Vertebrates do not look like jellyfish because the bones of their skeletons are levers that allow movement and protect vital organs. Bones come in an enormous variety of shapes and sizes to accomplish these goals, but, with few exceptions, use one process--endochondral bone formation--to generate the skeleton. The past few years have seen an enormous increase in understanding of the signalling pathways and the transcription factors that control endochondral bone development.

Developmental regulation of the growth plate

Tgfbeta signaling in growth control, cancer, and heritable disorders

Extract: Cancer frequently spreads to bone, a process termed bone metastasis. Up to 70% of patients with breast cancer or prostate cancer, and 15 to 30% of patients with lung, colon, bladder or kidney cancer develop bone metastasis. Once tumors go to bone, such as in patients with breast cancer or prostate cancer, they are incurable, and only 20% of patients with breast cancer are still alive five years after they are found to have bone metastasis. It is estimated that about 350,000 people die with bone metastasis each year in the United States. Bone metastasis causes severe bone pain and can result in fractures without any injury, as well as other life-threatening conditions. There are two major types of bone metastasis, one in which bone destruction is the predominant feature and the other one in which new bone formation is predominant. Bone metastasis where bone destruction is the predominant feature is known as osteolytic, and that in which new bone formation is the primary feature is called osteoblastic. This classification for metastasis is really two extremes of a continuum because many patients can have both osteolytic and osteoblastic or mixtures of both in their bone metastasis. In fact, patients with prostate cancer who usually have bone metastasis that shows increased new bone formation also have increased bone destruction in the same lesions.

Mechanisms of bone metastasis.

Cell proliferation, differentiation and death are controlled by a multitude of cell-cell signals, and loss of this control has devastating consequences Prominent among these regulatory signals is the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family of cytokines, which can trigger a bewildering diversity of responses, depending on the genetic makeup and environment of the target cell What are the networks of cell-specific molecules that mould the TGF-beta response to each cell's needs?

How cells read TGF-beta signals.

https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/S0092-8674(00)80259-7.pdf

Cbfa1, a Candidate Gene for Cleidocranial Dysplasia Syndrome, Is Essential for Osteoblast Differentiation and Bone Development

The MAP Kinase Pathway Controls Differentiation from Double-Negative to Double-Positive Thymocyte

Determining the protection an individual has to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VoCs) is crucial for future immune surveillance, vaccine development, and understanding of the changing immune response. We devised an informative assay to current ELISA-based serology using multiplexed, baited, targeted proteomics for direct detection of multiple proteins in the SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike antibody immunocomplex. Serum from individuals collected after infection or first- and second-dose vaccination demonstrates this approach and shows concordance with existing serology and neutralization. Our assays show altered responses of both immunoglobulins and complement to the Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), and Delta (B.1.617.1) VoCs and a reduced response to Omicron (B1.1.1529). We were able to identify individuals who had prior infection, and observed that C1q is closely associated with IgG1 (r > 0.82) and may better reflect neutralization to VoCs. Analyzing additional immunoproteins beyond immunoglobulin (Ig) G, provides important information about our understanding of the response to infection and vaccination. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crmeth.2022.100279

Kimberly C Gilmour

Papers

Cbfa1, a Candidate Gene for Cleidocranial Dysplasia Syndrome, Is Essential for Osteoblast Differentiation and Bone Development

The MAP Kinase Pathway Controls Differentiation from Double-Negative to Double-Positive Thymocyte

Quantitative, multiplexed, targeted proteomics for ascertaining variant specific SARS-CoV-2 antibody response