# DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF OSTEOCLAST FORMATION IN VITRO

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER · 1987 · $65,649

## Abstract

The multinucleated osteoclast is the primary bone resorbing cell.  Although
much has been learned about bone resorption and calcium homeostasis, little
is known about the cell biology of osteoclasts because of their relative
inaccessability and fragility.  Because of the abundant evidence that
osteoclasts arise from cells of monocyte-macrophage lineage in the marrow,
we have recently developed a long-term marrow system for studying the
formation of osteoclast-like cells in human and baboon marrow.  The marrow
culture system utilizes the recently developed technique of long-term
marrow culture, which provides an appropriate environment for normal marrow
cell growth and maturation.  These cultures are dependent on the formation
of an adherent cell layer which duplicates the normal marrow
microenvironment.  We have found that 1,25 dihydroxycholecalciferol, an
important differentiating agent for osteoclasts, stimulates the formation
of multinucleated cells in these cultures.  The multinucleated cells which
formed have the functional and morphologic characteristics as well as the
enzymatic profiles of osteoclasts.  In this proposal we will use these
marrow culture systems to:  1) compare the biologic and physical properties
of these marrow multinucleated cells to authentic osteoclasts; 2) compare
the growth characteristics of marrow-derived osteoclast-like cells in
long-term cultures from fetal, neonatal, pubescent and adult baboon marrow;
3) compare the characteristics of human and baboon osteoclast-like cells
formed in vitro; 4) enrich cell populations for the precursors of these
osteoclast-like cells.  As part of this goal we will initiate studies to
prepare monoclonal antibody to human osteoclast-like cells; and 5) to
identify and characterize the mononuclear precursor of these
osteoclast-like cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3157098
- **Project number:** 5R01AR035188-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCIENCE CENTER
- **SAM.gov UEI:** C3KXNLTAAY98
- **Principal Investigator:** Garson DAVID ROODMAN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $65,649
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1985-09-01 → 1988-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3157098

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3157098, DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF OSTEOCLAST FORMATION IN VITRO (5R01AR035188-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3157098. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*
