New factors controlling the balance between osteoblastogenesis and adipogenesis.

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

The majority of conditions associated with bone loss, including aging, are accompanied by increased marrow adiposity possibly due to shifting of the balance between osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation in bone marrow stromal (skeletal) stem cells (MSC). In order to study the relationship between osteoblastogenesis and adipogenesis in bone marrow, we have characterized cellular models of multipotent MSC as well as pre-osteoblastic and pre-adipocytic cell populations. Using these models, we identified two secreted factors in the bone marrow microenviroment: secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (sFRP-1) and delta-like1 (preadipocyte factor 1) (Dlk1/Pref-1). Both exert regulatory effects on osteoblastogenesis and adipogenesis. Our studies suggest a model for lineage fate determination of MSC that is regulated through secreted factors in the bone marrow microenvironment that mediate a cross-talk between lineage committed cell populations in addition to controlling differentiation choices of multipotent MSC.

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

Browse all related research

Filter the research library by this study's title keywords, author, or publication year.