Osteoimmunology

Osteoimmunology (όστέον, osteon from Greek, “bone”; immunitas from Latin, “immunity”; and λόγος, logos, from Greek “study”) is the study of the interface between the skeletal system and the immune system, comprising the “osteo-immune system”. It is also the study of shared components and mechanisms between the two systems in vertebrates, including ligands, receptors, signaling molecules and transcription factors. Some medical conditions in which this field is particularly relevant are bone metastases, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, osteopetrosis, and periodontitis. Studies in osteoimmunology reveal relationships between molecular communication among blood cells and structural pathologies in the body.