Sclerostin is a delayed secreted product of osteocytes that inhibits bone formation

Osteocytes are the most abundant cells in bone and are ideally located to influence bone turnover through their syncytial relationship with surface bone cells. Osteocyte-derived signals have remained largely enigmatic, but it was recently reported that human osteocytes secrete sclerostin, an inhibitor of bone formation. Absent sclerostin protein results in the high bone mass clinical disorder sclerosteosis. Here we report that within adult iliac bone, newly embedded osteocytes were negative for sclerostin staining but became positive at or after primary mineralization. The majority of mature osteocytes in mineralized cortical and cancellous bone was positive for sclerostin with diffuse staining along dendrites…

• NO
  National Osteoporosis Society
• EC
  European Commission

  Award: LSHM‐CT‐2003‐503020
• MR
  Medical Research Council