Molecular Traumatology
The Molecular Traumatology Group investigates the molecular and cellular bases of clinically relevant questions in musculoskeletal surgery, focusing on pharmacologically exploitable signaling events.
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Calca and Fracture
Jessika Appelt, Serafeim Tsitsilonis, Johannes Keller
Despite adequate fracture treatments and fixation techniques, there remains a high number of traumatic fractures not healing properly and resulting in non-unions. This leads to reoccurring hospitalization, to patients suffering physically and psychologically causing high socioeconomic costs. Hence, there is a tremendous need of improved and new treatment options for fracture repair. In this regard, 3 peptides namely calcitonin (CT), its precursor procalcitonin (PCT) and calcitonin gene-related peptide alpha (αCGRP) derived from the same gen (Calca) gained our interests due to their unique involvement in bone metabolism. Despite their well-characterized effects in intact bone, their role in bone generation is still poorly understood. With our translational approaches, we aim to elucidate the functions of those three peptides in fracture repair and uncover the respective molecular bases. This would enlighten the understanding of bone regeneration and open up new ways for possible strategies to treat impaired bone healing.