Transcriptional Control of Osteoblast Growth and Differentiation. Stein, Gary S., Jane B. Lian, Janet L. Stein, Andr‚ J. Van Wijnen, and Martin Montecino. Dept. of Cell Biology & Cancer Center, University of Massachusettes Medical Center., 55 Lake Ave. N., Worcester, MA 01655-0106
APStracts 2:0026P, 1996.
ABSTRACT
Osteoblast differentiation is a multistep series of events modulated by an integrated cascade of gene expression that initially supports proliferation and the sequential expression of genes associated with the biosynthesis, organization, and mineralization of the bone extracellular matrix. Transcriptional control defines regulatory events operative both developmentally and for support of bone tissue-specific properties. This review focuses on components of transcriptional regulation that function in growth control during osteoblast proliferation and those that postproliferatively contribute to maturation of the bone phenotype. Emphasis is on transcription of the cell cycle-regulated histone gene and the bone- specific osteocalcin gene as paradigms for genes with promoter elements exhibiting responsiveness to a broad spectrum of physiological regulatory signals. Additionally, the potential contributions provided by the three- dimensional organization of the histone and osteocalcin gene promoters to integration of regulatory activities at multiple, independent, and overlapping regulatory domains are explored.

APS Manuscript Number P26-5.
Article publication pending April 1996, Physiological Reviews.
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 5 November 1996