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      Therapeutic approaches to bone diseases.

      1 ,
      Science (New York, N.Y.)
      American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

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          Abstract

          The strength and integrity of our bones depends on maintaining a delicate balance between bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. As we age or as a result of disease, this delicate balancing act becomes tipped in favor of osteoclasts so that bone resorption exceeds bone formation, rendering bones brittle and prone to fracture. A better understanding of the biology of osteoclasts and osteoblasts is providing opportunities for developing therapeutics to treat diseases of bone. Drugs that inhibit the formation or activity of osteoclasts are valuable for treating osteoporosis, Paget's disease, and inflammation of bone associated with rheumatoid arthritis or periodontal disease. Far less attention has been paid to promoting bone formation with, for example, growth factors or hormones, an approach that would be a valuable adjunct therapy for patients receiving inhibitors of bone resorption.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          Science
          Science (New York, N.Y.)
          American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
          0036-8075
          0036-8075
          Sep 01 2000
          : 289
          : 5484
          Affiliations
          [1 ] Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA 19486, USA. St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3065, Australia. gideon_rodan@merck.com
          Article
          8794
          10.1126/science.289.5484.1508
          10968781
          3f3d2da0-4ddf-47e1-bd67-1b5d8ef4c541
          History

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