Our understanding of how the skeleton is remodeled and repaired has been enormously expanded in the past decade.

Using advanced molecular technologies including transgenesis, gene knockout, and gene array, we are gaining a better understanding of both the precise pathways through which osteoblasts lay down new bone and how osteoclasts remove old bone. These studies have not only helped us understand the basic biological properties of the skeleton and how it responds to hormonal, cytokine, and mechanical stimulation, but also, in some instances, clarified the source of...

The volume features current basic, clinical, and translational research on aspects of skeletal morphogenesis and remodeling in health and disease. Papers survey vital new insights into the mechanisms of bone development and restructuring, including cellular and mechanical triggers, receptors and signaling pathways. Also covered are the effects of other physiological systems and disease states, such as immune system inflammation, diabetes, infection, and cancer on musculoskeletal health. Recent findings are shaping therapeutic directions that focus on both anti-resorptive and anabolic...