Osteoimmunology: a view from the bone

Abstract

Osteoimmunology can be defined in a very broad sense as the field of research focusing on interrelations between bone and the immune system. This is a rather opened field that covers at least three different issues. The first one is developmental, that is, organogenesis of the bones and immune systems. The second is post-developmental, that is, the role of the bone in the regulation of the immune response and role of the immune cells on the regulation of bone homeostasis. The third one is related to pathologies: Can immune cells be involved in the development of bone-related pathology? Can deregulation of the bone be causing immune-related diseases? I will not review in detail the bibliography covering osteoimmunology. This has been extensively done in Immunological Reviews (Vol. 208, December 2005) and Current Opinion in Rheumatology (Vol. 18, 2006). I will rather critically comment on hypotheses and concepts in osteoimmunology from a bone biologist's point of view.