Development of Novel Models for Studying Osteoclasts
Popular Abstract in English My PhD thesis has focused on increasing the understanding of the osteoclasts, the cells responsible for degradation of bone, by studying the rare hereditary disease autosomal recessive osteopetrosis (ARO). ARO is present already at birth and is caused by mutations affecting the osteoclasts ability to degrade bone. Non-functional osteoclasts lead to dramatic increases inThis thesis focuses on developing and characterizing novel models for studying osteoclasts with an emphasis on how mutations abolishing osteoclastic acidification affect osteoclast signaling and bone remodeling, as well as how to treat patients bearing these rare mutations. Bone remodeling is under normal circumstances a tightly balanced process where resorption of bone by osteoclasts is followed
