Chemerin/CMKLR1: A Molecular Switch to Regulate Bone Marrow Adipogenesis and Osteoblastogenesis

Osteoporosis is characterized by a loss of bone tissue that ultimately results in bone fragility and an increased risk of fracture. This disease results from an imbalance of the normal bone remodeling processes consisting of the removal of old bone and new bone formation. One factor that contributes to a reduction of bone formation in osteoporosis is a decrease in the number of bone forming cells (osteoblasts) and an increase in the number of fat storing cells (adipocytes) within bone. As osteoblasts and adipocytes develop from a common precursor cell type in bone, identification of factors that favour osteoblast instead of adipocyte development could lead to new approaches for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.The research we propose will examine the role of a protein (chemerin) and the receptor to which it binds (CMKLR1) in the development of osteoblasts and adipocytes from a common precursor cell type in bone.