Sonic Hedgehog Regulates Osteoblast Function in the Process of Fracture Healing

December 03, 2013

Sonic hedgehog (SHH) is a signaling protein that was originally identified to have the most critical roles in development, acting as a morphogen.
The research group in Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences showed that SHH signaling is associated with bone remodeling at a bone fracture site.

The findings were published online Oct. 4, 2013 in the journal of PLoS One.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0076785

Fracture healing is a complex process that involves the combination of both intramembranous and endochondral ossification. The osteoblasts and osteoclasts play a crucial role in this process.
Tsuyoshi Shimo and his colleagues have shown that SHH signaling is activated in osteoblasts at the remodeling site of a bone fracture and regulates their proliferation and differentiation directly, as well as osteoclast formation indirectly.

The findings could lead to the development of methods for stimulation of bone fracture healing in the early stages by using SHH signaling.

The research was funded by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Contact Information:
Mototaka Senda, Ph.D.
US Representative
Intellectual Property Office, Organization for Research Promotion and Collaboration, Okayama University
Fremont, California USA
TEL: 1-510-797-0907
Email: takasenda@okayama-u.ac.jp

Tsuyoshi Shimo
Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan