Age and sex-associated changes in signal transduction and bone formation in primary human osteoblast/implant cultures

Age and sex-associated changes in signal transduction and bone formation in primary human osteoblast (HOB)/implant cultures are discussed. The differences in integrins and cell signaling that lead to changes in differentiation in HOB from aging patients were also investigated. Activation of integrins leads to a signaling cascade involving the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), translocation of MAPK to the nucleus and activation of the AP-1 transcription complex. Osteoblasts from elderly female patients which had attached to Ti-6Al-4V, showed a different activation pattern of protein expression in the MAPK signaling pathway compared to HOB from younger patients and males of all ages.