The unexpected link between osteoclasts and the immune system.

Osteoimmunology is an interdisciplinary research field focused on the molecular understanding of the interplay of the skeletal and immune systems. In particular, the interaction between immune cells and osteoclasts is a current major topic of critical interest in this field. The macrophage-osteoclast interaction has long been studied, and the T-cellosteoclast interaction also attracted much attention in the study of arthritis. However, recent reports have revealed a hitherto unknown link between osteoclasts and other immune cells, including B cells and dendritic cells, suggesting a larger number of molecules are in fact shared by osteoclasts and immune cells. These findings will lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of diseases affecting both systems and may/will provide a molecular basis for novel therapeutic strategies.