Abstract

Normal bone homeostasis is the result of a cross-talk between the anabolic axis (osteoblast differentiation) and catabolic axis (osteoclast remodeling). A disruption of this tightly regulated relationship leads to imbalanced bone turnover which ultimately results in diseases of the skeleton. Given that the majority of disease states are characterized by an inadequate renewal of osteoblasts, and the canonical wingless (Wnt) pathway is critical for their differentiation from progenitors, this represents an intriguing target for bone therapy. This mini-review focuses on the different options available for pharmaceutical enhancement of osteogenic differentiation through targeting the various proteins involved in Wnt signaling.

Keywords: Dkk-1, glycogen-synthetase-kinase-3β, mesenchymal stem/progenitor cell, osteogenic differentiation, Wnt-signaling