The Cross-Talk between the Bone and the Immune System: Osteoimmunology
1Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of SMB-NOS, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
2Department of Biomedical Science, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
3Department of Medical Sciences, AO Città della Salute e della Scienza, Torino, Italy
4Department of Orthopedics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
The Cross-Talk between the Bone and the Immune System: Osteoimmunology
Description
In the last decade, numerous scientists have highlighted the interactions between bone and immune cells as well as their overlapping regulatory mechanisms. For example, osteoblasts, the bone-forming cells, regulate hematopoietic stem cell niches from which all blood and immune cells are derived. On the other hand, osteoclasts, the bone-resorbing cells, are derived from the same myeloid precursor cells that give rise to macrophages and myeloid dendritic cells. Furthermore, many of the soluble mediators of immune cells, including cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors, regulate the activities of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. This increased recognition of the complex interactions between the immune system and bone led to the development of the interdisciplinary osteoimmunology field. A better understanding of the mechanisms governing the relationship or crosstalk between the skeletal and immune systems has potential for developing new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of disorders characterized by inflammatory bone loss, such as rheumatoid arthritis, bowel disease, osteoporosis, and periodontitis.
We invite investigators to contribute original research papers as well as review papers that will stimulate the continuing efforts to understand the molecular interplay between bone and immune systems. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Recent developments in the role of osteoblasts in hematopoiesis
- Advances in the identification of T-cell subset influencing osteoclast differentiation
- Cytokines and local immune cell factors as regulators of bone cell functions in basal or pathological conditions
- Immune cells as mediators of hormonal effects on bone cells
- Role of the immune system in arthritis, cancer, osteoporosis, and other bone diseases
- Recent advances in role of osteoblasts in bone marrow cell transplantation
- Latest therapeutic strategies targeting osteoimmunology pathways
Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/author/submit/journals/cdi/osteo/ according to the following timetable: