抄録
Bone is continuously subjected to repetitive loading, which leads to microdamages even if the strain level is within physiological range. The damaged site must be promptly removed by a remodeling mechanism that is targeted to microdamages; otherwise, the accumulation of damages induces bone fracture. In this study, we investigated the mediators, by which osteoclastic bone resorption could target to the damaged site. As a result, TRAP-positive cells were differentiated from bone marrow cells that co-cultured with mechanically damaged mice calvariae. Additionally, marrow cells showed a significant increase in TRAP positivity when they were cultured in conditioned medium collected from mechanically damaged osteocytes. These experimental findings indicated that soluble factors secreted by the damaged osteocytes would have a potential to induce osteoclast-like cell formation, and consequently target bone resorption to the damaged site.
