[Regulation of bone metabolism by the Wnt signaling pathway].

The development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms depends on a complex cellular interaction between proliferation, migration, differentiation, adhesion, and cell death. Wnt signaling pathways coordinate these different cellular responses. Wnt signaling plays a role as a regulatory pathway in the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. The Wnt signaling pathway is an attractive therapeutic target with the potential to directly modulate stem cells responsible for the regeneration of skeletal tissue. Recent studies indicate that Wnt ligands are capable of promoting bone growth, suggesting that Wnt factors could be used to stimulate bone healing in osteogenic disorders. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.