The development of the musculoskeletal system is a complex process that involves very
precise control of bone formation and growth as well as remodeling during postnatal life …

In recent years, much progress has been made in understanding the factors that regulate the
gene expression program that underlies the induction, proliferation, differentiation, and …

The neural fate is generally considered to be the intrinsic direction of embryonic stem (ES)
cell differentiation. However, little is known about the intracellular mechanism that leads …

Background Real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR) is a powerful technique capable of
accurately quantitating mRNA expression levels over a large dynamic range. This makes …

While there has been significant progress in determining the transcriptional cascade
involved in terminal adipocyte differentiation, less is known about early events leading to …

Proteins containing the zinc finger domain (s) are named zinc finger proteins (ZFPs), one of
the largest classes of transcription factors in eukaryotic genomes. A large number of ZFPs …

Runx2 is indispensable for osteoblast lineage commitment and early differentiation but also
blocks osteoblast maturation, thereby causing bone loss in Runx2 transgenic mice. Zinc …

The skeleton is a multifunctional and regenerative organ. Dynamic activities within the bone
microenvironment necessitate and instigate rapid and temporal changes in gene expression …

In the growth plate, the interplay between parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) and
Indian hedgehog (Ihh) signaling tightly regulates chondrocyte proliferation and …

Osteoblasts and adipocytes arise from a common mesenchymal precursor cell. The cell fate
decision of a mesenchymal precursor cell is under the influence of molecular cues and …