Molecular aspects of bone healing and remodeling.

The process of fracture healing involves a complex series of coordinated cellular and molecular processes leading to removal of material contaminating the wound, angiogenesis validating restoration of disrupted microcirculation, and restoration of bone continuity by activation, proliferation and chemotaxis of bone progenitors from surrounding periosteum and endosteum. The regulation of various cell populations that orchestrate in this process depends on the biological effect evoked by cytokines and growth factors. The paper presents the state-of-the-art knowledge of the influence of growth factors and cytokines, namely TGF-beta, BMP, IGF, PDGF, FGF, NO, IL-1, IL-6, IL-11 on the process of fracture healing.