| Abstrakt: |
Osteoporosis is a common disease with a strong genetic componenet characterized by reduced bone mass and increased risk of fragility fractures. Twins and family studies have shown that the heritability of bone mineral density (BMD) and other determinants of fracture risk - such as ultrasound properties of bone, skeletal geometry, and bone turnover - are high, although heritability of fracture is modest. In this article, some important gene identifications of the last years such as vitamin receptor, estrogen receptor alpha, alpha 1 chain of type I collagen, low density lipoprotein receptor - related protein 5, bone morphogenic proteins 2 and 4, transforming growth factor beta 1, receptor activator of NF-kappa-B, receptor activator of NF-kappa-B ligand, osteoprotegerin and their contribution to the understanding of the genetic regulation of bone mass and susceptibility to osteoporosis are present. |
