Clinical Reviews in Bone and Mineral Metabolism

, Volume 8, Issue 4, pp 189–200 | Cite as

Gap Junctions and Biophysical Regulation of Bone Cells

Original Paper
First Online:

Abstract

Communication between osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes is integral to their ability to build and maintain the skeletal system and respond to physical signals. Various physiological mechanisms, including nerve communication, hormones, and cytokines, play an important role in this process. More recently, the important role of direct, cell–cell communication via gap junctions has been established. In this review, we demonstrate the integral role of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in skeletal physiology and bone cell mechanosensing.

Keywords

Gap junctions Connexins Mechanosensing Mechanotransduction Cell-to-cell communication Intercellular communication Osteocytes 
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© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Division of Musculoskeletal Sciences, Department of Orthopaedics and RehabilitationThe Pennsylvania State University College of MedicineHersheyUSA

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