Bone remodeling in health and disease: Lessons from mathematical modeling

Parathyroid hormone is the single anabolic treatment for osteoporosis currently approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The physiology underlying anabolic actions of parathyroid hormone remains mysterious, since only when applied intermittently, does it increase bone mass. This study employs mathematical modeling to consider multiple concomitant effects of parathyroid hormone and local regulators on bone turnover. Remarkably, due to coupling between osteoclasts and osteoblasts, anabolic effects of parathyroid hormone emerged from a single action-stimulation of osteoclastic bone resorption. This study provides a novel conceptual framework for the development of highly desirable anabolic treatments for bone diseases.