ISSN 1662-4009 (online)

ESPE Yearbook of Paediatric Endocrinology (2019) 16 5.16 | DOI: 10.1530/ey.16.5.16

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA


Abstract: Nature. 2018 Oct;562(7725):133–139.

In brief: A newly discovered periosteal stem cell pool with features distinct from other skeletal mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is present in murine and human bone and reveals a pivotal function in intramembranous ossification, cortical bone architecture and fracture healing in conditional knockout mouse strains.

Comment: Periosteum is a highly specialized tissue formed by perichondral cells with divergent regenerative capacities: while cells of perichondral lineage can generate chondrocytes and osteoblast for enchondral ossification during fracture repair, very similar cells can be found in craniofacial sutures performing membranous ossification.

This study is the first to identify and characterize a periosteal stem-cell on the surface of mouse and human bones. By establishing Cathepsin K as marker for periosteal stem cells, the authors perform a series of experiments in conditional knock out mice, including single-cell RNA sequencing and transplantation experiments. In contrast to other bone forming MSCs, PSCs were found to mainly give raise to intramembranous bone formation without potential of haematopoetic recruitment. These data explain, for the first time, a cellular basis of different modes of bone development: enchondral and intramembranous ossification. Strikingly, the authors could confirm their murine data in human samples by proving the presence, multipotency and mediation of intramembranous ossification of similar periosteal stem cells.

The distinct and unique properties of PSCs could open new understanding of conditions affecting intramembranous ossification and represent a novel therapeutic target for associated conditions, such as nun-union fractures and craniosynostosis.

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