Bone as an Endocrine Organ

Dear Colleagues,

Increasing evidence shows that bone is very much an interactive organ in the body and plays an integral role in the functioning or malfunctioning of other organs and tissues. Often, it does this by releasing substances that affect metabolism in ways we could not previously imagine. Some examples of this include the roles of osteocalcin in glucose metabolism and skeletal muscle function and Transforming Growth Factor-Beta in muscle protein degradation. Yet, many questions are unanswered. For example, bone contains and releases substances that are anabolic and catabolic to other tissues. What signals bone to release them and in what quantities? What are the metabolic fates of released calcium, phosphate and magnesium in health and disease? How do these releases affect other organs in different disease states?

Prof. Dr. Gordon L. Klein
Prof. Dr. Antonio Brunetti
Topic Editors