Osteocytes are the most abundant type of bone tissue cell, constituting 90-95% of all bone cells in an adult human body. They are terminally differentiated from osteoblasts, embedded in the calcified bone matrix with a distinct dendritic morphology. Osteocytes were once considered a passive “placeholder” with limited cellular activities. However, over the last three decades, growing evidence has unveiled the essential roles of osteocytes in bone health and beyond. First, osteocytes are master regulators of bone mass and density by coordinating osteoblasts' and osteoclasts' differentiation and cellular activities in the bone. Second, osteocytes remodel the surrounding extracellular matrix to maintain the balance of calcium and phosphate levels in the body. Third, osteocytes are mechano-sensitive cells, actively responding to internal and external physical stimulations. Moreover, osteocytes are now known as endocrine cells, directly and indirectly communicating with other tissue/organ systems, including the brain, liver, adipose tissues, muscles, vascular system and immune system, regulating whole-body homeostasis.
Emerging studies are underlying the roles and mechanisms of osteocytes in cell-to-cell communications, cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions, mechanobiology, endocrine regulation, and inter-organ communications under physical and pathological conditions. This research topic aims to gather Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods, Data Reports, and Perspectives that focus on various aspects of osteocyte biology, including, but not limited to, the following subtopics,
• Osteocyte biology
• Osteocyte mechanobiology
• Osteocyte-ECM interactions
• Cellular communications between osteocytes and other cell types
• Osteocytes during aging, osteoporosis, bone tumor and other bone-related diseases
• Inter-organ communications of osteocytes in bone with other organs
Keywords:
osteocyte, cell-extracellular matrix, bone-related diseases, endocrine function, inter-organ communication
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
Osteocytes are the most abundant type of bone tissue cell, constituting 90-95% of all bone cells in an adult human body. They are terminally differentiated from osteoblasts, embedded in the calcified bone matrix with a distinct dendritic morphology. Osteocytes were once considered a passive “placeholder” with limited cellular activities. However, over the last three decades, growing evidence has unveiled the essential roles of osteocytes in bone health and beyond. First, osteocytes are master regulators of bone mass and density by coordinating osteoblasts' and osteoclasts' differentiation and cellular activities in the bone. Second, osteocytes remodel the surrounding extracellular matrix to maintain the balance of calcium and phosphate levels in the body. Third, osteocytes are mechano-sensitive cells, actively responding to internal and external physical stimulations. Moreover, osteocytes are now known as endocrine cells, directly and indirectly communicating with other tissue/organ systems, including the brain, liver, adipose tissues, muscles, vascular system and immune system, regulating whole-body homeostasis.
Emerging studies are underlying the roles and mechanisms of osteocytes in cell-to-cell communications, cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions, mechanobiology, endocrine regulation, and inter-organ communications under physical and pathological conditions. This research topic aims to gather Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods, Data Reports, and Perspectives that focus on various aspects of osteocyte biology, including, but not limited to, the following subtopics,
• Osteocyte biology
• Osteocyte mechanobiology
• Osteocyte-ECM interactions
• Cellular communications between osteocytes and other cell types
• Osteocytes during aging, osteoporosis, bone tumor and other bone-related diseases
• Inter-organ communications of osteocytes in bone with other organs
Keywords:
osteocyte, cell-extracellular matrix, bone-related diseases, endocrine function, inter-organ communication
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.