Immunohistochemical identification of proteoglycan form of macrophage colony-stimulating factor on bone surface.

Several studies using op/op mice have shown that macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) was necessary for osteoclast formation in vivo. Previously we reported that osteoblastic cells produced two molecular forms of M-CSF; one is an 85-kDa M-CSF, and the other is a proteoglycan form of M-CSF (PG-M-CSF) which has a binding affinity for bone-derived collagens and is extractable from human bone. In this study, we performed immunostaining of human bone using a newly established anti-PG-M-CSF antibody, and showed positive staining PG-M-CSF, probably produced by bone lining cells, on the bone surface. This observation suggests that the bone surface is suitable for osteoclast formation because of the presence of PG-M-CSF.