Bone-forming growth factor – Osteolectin – may one day reverse osteoporosis – new discovery

A bone-forming growth factor that reverses osteoporosis in mice has been found by scientists, they report in eLife.

We already knew that Osteolectin is made by certain bone marrow and bone cells, but now researchers from the US have found that it promotes the formation of new bone from skeletal stem cells in the bone marrow.

Deletion of Osteolectin in mice caused bone loss to speed up during adulthood along with symptoms of osteoporosis, such as reduced bone strength and delayed fracture healing.

“These results demonstrate the important role Osteolectin plays in new bone formation and maintaining adult bone mass,” explains Dr Sear Morrison, who led the work. “This study opens up the possibility of using this growth factor to treat diseases like osteoporosis.”

Click here to read the original research.

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