# OSTEOCLASTS & GIANT CELLS--MECHANISMS & FUNCTIONS

> **NIH NIH R01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 1990 · $111,996

## Abstract

The long term goals of this proposal are:  1) to elucidate the mechanisms
and the regulation of the fusion of mononuclear phagocytes (MNP) leading to
the formation of both osteoclasts and giant cells.  2) to characterize the
functional consequences of multinucleation in both normal and pathological
bone resorption and in the host defense mechanisms involved in inflammatory
reactions and tumors.

The strategy adopted to reach these goals is based on the simultaneous use
of two approaches which complement each other:  1) the first approach
focuses upon the cellular and molecular basis for the particular tendency
of cells of the MNP lineage to form polykaryons.  This approach will more
specifically involve the detection, the characterization and the kinetic
analysis of new plasma membrane and soluble antigens.  2) the second
approach focuses upon the role of the local microenvironment in the
induction and the regulation of the fusion mechanism of the mononuclear
precursors (MNP).  Both agonist and antagonist factors will be searched for
and analyzed.  These two approaches closely interact in that the effects of
local factors on the plasma membrane protein composition will also be
studied.  Parallel studies will be continued on in vivo induced osteoclasts
and giant cells analyzing and comparing their respective antigenic
determinants using immunoelectron microscopy techniques.

In the long run, these studies may be of critical importance in the
understanding of the functional implications of macrophage fusion is bone
resorption and host defense mechanisms.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3157010
- **Project number:** 5R01AR035004-05
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** FL6GV84CKN57
- **Principal Investigator:** Agnes Vignery
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $111,996
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1984-12-01 → 1992-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3157010

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3157010, OSTEOCLASTS & GIANT CELLS--MECHANISMS & FUNCTIONS (5R01AR035004-05). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3157010. Licensed CC0.

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