Zhang Chi
Bone Research Laboratory, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Texas, USA.
J Orthop Surg Res. 2010 Jun 15;5:37. doi: 10.1186/1749-799X-5-37.
Bone formation is a complex developmental process involving the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts. Osteoblast differentiation occurs through a multi-step molecular pathway regulated by different transcription factors and signaling proteins. Osx (also known as Sp7) is the only osteoblast-specific transcriptional factor identified so far which is required for osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. Osx knock-out mice lack bone completely and cartilage is normal. This opens a new window to the whole research field of bone formation. Osx inhibits Wnt pathway signaling, a possible mechanism for Osx to inhibit osteoblast proliferation. These reports demonstrate that Osx is the master gene that controls osteoblast lineage commitment and the subsequent osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. This review is to highlight recent progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional regulation of bone formation by Osx.
骨形成是一个复杂的发育过程，涉及间充质干细胞向成骨细胞的分化。成骨细胞分化通过由不同转录因子和信号蛋白调节的多步骤分子途径发生。Osx（也称为Sp7）是迄今为止鉴定出的唯一一种成骨细胞特异性转录因子，它是成骨细胞分化和骨形成所必需的。Osx基因敲除小鼠完全缺乏骨骼，而软骨正常。这为骨形成的整个研究领域打开了一扇新窗口。Osx抑制Wnt信号通路，这可能是Osx抑制成骨细胞增殖的一种机制。这些报告表明，Osx是控制成骨细胞谱系定向以及随后的成骨细胞增殖和分化的主基因。本综述旨在强调在理解Osx对骨形成转录调控分子机制方面的最新进展。
