Bone Abstracts

Vascular calcification is a ubiquitous pathology in the aged and diseased vasculature. Recently we have focused on the earliest events in the calcification process and have shown that calcification is initiated in small membrane-bound bodies, or matrix vesicles, derived from both apoptotic and stressed VSMCs. Under normal conditions, these vesicles are loaded with potent inhibitors of mineralization, including matrix Gla protein (MGP) and fetuin-A, which act to block or contro...

Bone metastasis is a frequent occurrence in cancer patients, with severe complications such as fracture, bone pain, and hypercalcemia. The pathogenesis of osteolyitc bone metastasis depends on cross-communications between tumor cells and various stromal cells residing in the bone microenvironment. Many of these interactions are mediated by tumor derived growth factors, cytokines, proteases, and other secreted and exosomal proteins. Using gene expression profiling and proteomic...

Release of RNA into the extracellular space is a newly identified means of intercellular communication operating in many organisms. Such extracellular RNAs can be released via 50–1000 nm vesicles Almost all cell types produce such extracellular vesicles (EV) and the secretion and proteins/lipids per RNA content is regulated by the producing cell. Besides release of vesicle-enclosed genetic material, cells can also release RNA in association with macromolecular protein com...