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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Aug 14.
Published in final edited form as: Crit Rev Eukaryot Gene Expr. 2009;19(4):319–338. doi: 10.1615/critreveukargeneexpr.v19.i4.50

FIGURE 14.

FIGURE 14

Molecular control of bone resorption by the stroma-derived cell population. (Left) The stromal cells can be thought of as a rheostat in the resorptive process. M-CSF is required to activate the system, and once activated, the relative levels of RANK-L and OPG control osteoclastogenesis and resorptive activity. (Right) Both RANK receptors on the osteoclast (and pre-osteoclast) surface, and the soluble decoy OPG receptors in the extracellular fluid, bind RANK-L. The level of RANK-L and OPG therefore control the resorptive signal.