Molecular Traumatology

Denise Jahn, Jessika Appelt, Michael Amling, Serafeim Tsitsilonis, Johannes Keller

Osteoporosis represents the most common bone disease worldwide and is associated with a high risk for osteoporotic fractures. Apart from anti-resorptive drugs that inhibit bone degradation through osteoclasts, teriparatide, a modified fragment of human parathyroid hormone, represents the only clinically approved substance that stimulates bone formation by osteoblasts. Although teriparatide has been studied extensively, its precise mechanism of action remains unclear, as it depends on the complex crosstalk between osteoblasts, osteoclasts and other cell types within the bone microenvironment. Using in vitro and in vivo approaches, our group aims to study the osteoanabolic action of teriparatide in more detail and to identify underlying signaling events, that may be targeted to optimize the therapeutic effect of teriparatide.