[BMP and bone formation]

Abstract

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) are secreted proteins that represent a group of the transforming growth factor-beta. BMPs were identified as molecules that induce ectopic bone formation in muscles of mice. The homo- or heterodimetric BMP proteins, which bind to serine/threonine protein-kinase receptor and activate smad and p38MAPK signal transductions, function as potent osteogenic factors. In vivo, it is not clear which BMPs play crucial roles in regulating osteogenesis. Clinical uses of rhBMP-2 and rhBMP-7 have been performed, but we need numerous rhBMPs, which is very expensive, to induce osteogenesis in humans.