Interactions between B lymphocytes and the osteoblast lineage in bone marrow

Calcif Tissue Int. 2013 Sep;93(3):261-8. doi: 10.1007/s00223-013-9753-3. Epub 2013 Jul 10.

Abstract

The regulatory effects of the immune system on the skeleton during homeostasis and activation have been appreciated for years. In the past decade it has become evident that bone tissue can also regulate immune cell development. In the bone marrow, the differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors requires specific microenvironments, called "niches," provided by various subsets of stromal cells, many of which are of mesenchymal origin. Among these stromal cell populations, cells of the osteoblast lineage serve a supportive function in the maintenance of normal hematopoiesis, and B lymphopoiesis in particular. Within the osteoblast lineage, distinct differentiation stages exert differential regulatory effects on hematopoietic development. In this review we will highlight the critical role of osteoblast progenitors in the perivascular B lymphocyte niche.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • Bone Marrow / pathology*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Lineage
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology
  • Homeostasis
  • Humans
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / cytology
  • Mice
  • Osteoblasts / cytology*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Stromal Cells / cytology