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european
nucleotides
and bone consortium |
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ATP
is best known as the ‘currency’ of energy within
living cells.
However, ATP and other nucleotides also act as important messenger
molecules for cell-to-cell communication. The responses of cells
to ATP are mediated via specific specific recognition sites,
known as P2 receptors.
Recent research shows that ATP and P2 receptors play important
and complex roles in the regulation of
bone
turnover, exerting powerful actions on both the bone forming
cells (osteoblasts)
and the bone destroying cell (osteoclasts).
There is increasing interest in the possibility that ATP and
P2 receptors could also be involved in the pathogenesis of common
bone disorders such as
osteoporosis,
which results from an imbalance in the actions of osteoclasts
and osteoblasts.
The European Nucleotides and Bone
Consortium exists to facilitate collaboration
between the leading European research groups working on ATP,
P2 receptors and bone. The consortium fosters cross-border,
translational research, bringing together state-of-the-art work
on the physiology and molecular biology of bone cells with molecular
genetics and patient-based studies. To date, consortium members
have published more than 1450 papers in peer-review journals,
including more than 40 papers on ATP, P2 receptors and bone,
as well as a recent monograph.
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Information on collaborating centres can be
found here.
This page last modified
January, 2009
by Alison Gartland
Copyright © 2006-2009 european nucleotides and bone consortium
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This
project is supported through Coordination Theme 1 (Health)
of the European Community's FP7, Grant agreement number HEALTH-F2
2007-202231. |
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