The origins and roles of osteoclasts in bone development, homeostasis and repair

Development. 2022 Apr 15;149(8):dev199908. doi: 10.1242/dev.199908. Epub 2022 May 3.

Abstract

The mechanisms underlying bone development, repair and regeneration are reliant on the interplay and communication between osteoclasts and other surrounding cells. Osteoclasts are multinucleated monocyte lineage cells with resorptive abilities, forming the bone marrow cavity during development. This marrow cavity, essential to hematopoiesis and osteoclast-osteoblast interactions, provides a setting to investigate the origin of osteoclasts and their multi-faceted roles. This Review examines recent developments in the embryonic understanding of osteoclast origin, as well as interactions within the immune environment to regulate normal and pathological bone development, homeostasis and repair.

Keywords: Bone development; Hematopoietic stem cell; Osteoclast; Yolk sac.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bone Development
  • Bone Resorption* / pathology
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology
  • Homeostasis
  • Humans
  • Osteoclasts* / pathology