Rab13 is upregulated during osteoclast differentiation and associates with small vesicles revealing polarized distribution in resorbing cells.

ABSTRACT: Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing multinucleated cells that undergo drastic changes in their polarization due to heavy vesicular trafficking during the resorption cycle. These events require the precise orchestration of membrane traffic in order to maintain the unique characteristics of the different membrane domains in osteoclasts. Rab proteins are small GTPases involved in regulation of most, if not all, steps of vesicle trafficking. The investigators studied RAB genes in human osteoclasts and found that at least 26 RABs were expressed in osteoclasts. Out of these, RAB13 gene expression was highly upregulated during differentiation of human peripheral blood monocytic cells into osteoclasts. To study its possible function in osteoclasts, the investigators performed immunolocalization studies

SUBMITTER: Hirvonen MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3460351 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature