Table 4.
Examples of biologically relevant molecules found in bone
| Molecule | MW (Da) | Functions | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| nitric oxide (NO) | 30 | promoting bone formation and inhibiting bone resportion | [12, 13] |
| glucose | 180 | nutrition | |
| prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) | 352 | promoting bone formation | [14, 15] |
| adenosine-5'-triphosphate | 507 | modulating intracellular Ca2+ | [11] |
| (ATP) | |||
| sclerostin | 24,000 | inhibiting osteoblastic bone formation | [20] |
| soluable receptor activator of NFkappaB ligand (sRANKL) | 24,000 | modulating osteoclastgenesis and bone loss | [18] |
| fibroblasts growth factor (FGF23) | 25,000 | modulating cell proliferation and differentiation | [1] |
| dentin matrix protein-1 (DMP-1) | 100,000 | inhibiting mineralization of bone | [19] |
| osteoprotegerin (OPG) | 60,000 or 120,000 | inhibiting osteoclast formation | [17] |
Note: the molecules listed here are of spherical or globular shape. Liner diffusible molecules such as collagen and proteoglycan fragments (the byproducts of tissue turnover process) have no well-defined molecular weights, and thus are not included here.